Suffering on the Sidelines
by TheWallsWeBreakThrough
Summary: "I am not impressed. When I hear the name 'Annie Cresta' and see the girl – smallish, slim, long hair the colour of dark chocolate – my first thought is no winner this year, then..." Finnick Odair's view of the 70th Hunger Games and Annie Cresta.
1. Mentors and Tributes

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Annie Cresta, Finnick Odair or any other characters from the Hunger Games universe. All belong to Suzanne Collins. (Except of course, my OCs, which are mine)_

* * *

_Hey everyone! To those who have come here from 'Annie's Story', I hope you're still enjoying it and that you'll like this one just as much XD_

_As you might already know, this is a companion piece to 'Annie's Story' which tells of the events leading up to and during the 70th Hunger Games - the year that Annie Cresta won. This story is the same Games (and in effect, the same story) but through Finnick's eyes. There is some slight repetition of conversations between the two stories but most of it is extra scenes that Annie never saw and obviously, what Finnick thinks about everything that's going on._

_I recommend reading 'Annie's Story' as well, it's not completely necessary, but you get to see what's going through Annie's head during these Games. Plus that story is now finished, so if you can't wait for this fic to be updated, you can pop over there to find out what happens!_

_So, I will let you get on with the story... I hope you enjoy it and please review. I love to hear your feedback._

_(Rated M for future violence and ambiguous references to prostitution)_

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE - MENTORS AND TRIBUTES**

* * *

I am not impressed.

When I hear the name 'Annie Cresta' and see the girl – smallish, slim, long hair the colour of dark chocolate – my first thought is _no winner this year, then_.

But when she is pushed onto the stage by the peacekeepers and her pretty green eyes meet mine, I try to look sympathetic. After all, she'll probably be dead within a week...

Something hard and unexpected flickers across her face – resentment? irritation? – as if she can tell what I'm thinking. But then that stupid escort sinks those talons into her arm, whirling her round to face the silent crowd and I see my newest tribute's face rearrange itself into blank passivity. I frown. Maybe I imagined it.

As Violet Lovedaie announces Annie Cresta's name again, my attention is caught by an elderly woman standing amongst the other adults. I vaguely recognise her as a relative of Annie Cresta, but I can't remember her name. All I can see is the pain in her eyes... a pain that replays itself twenty four times over every year all around Panem, a pain that I remember seeing in _my_ family's eyes five years ago.

"Ethan Marborough!"

I refocus in time to see my next tribute, a tall boy – practically a man – stalk through the crowd and up onto stage.

_Now this is more like it_, I think with some satisfaction.

Ethan Marborough is tall, muscular, strong and _deadly_. I know him from his reputation as expert whaler and harpooner. As Ethan makes his way on-stage, he meets my eyes with a challenging glare, his fists clenched and his jaw tight, and I give him an acknowledging nod.

As Violet Lovedaie grabs the hands of the two chosen tributes and raises them aloft, me and Mags share a small secret smile.

We may actually have a winner this year.

* * *

...

* * *

"Finnick Odair?"

I turn to find the elderly woman I saw earlier standing just behind me.

"Yes?" I give her a reassuring smile. Relatives of tributes often come to find me before we leave, sobbing and snivelling, pleading that I keep their children, their brothers, their friends alive and bring them home safely.

Strangely though, this woman regards me steadily, her eyes bright – not with tears – but with determination.

"I'm her Grandmother." She tells me and I nod.

"Right."

There is a pause, in which she never breaks my gaze. I shift uncomfortably. Her eyes are far too penetrating, far too knowing.

"Keep her alive." She says.

Cresta has no chance, really, and everyone knows it, but I nod again, smiling like I'll genuinely focus on her and not the potential victor I've got for a male tribute.

"I'll try."

But Cresta's Grandmother is not impressed.

"I know you think she has no chance of winning this."

"Not at all..." I begin, but she cuts me off.

"Don't lie to me, Odair." Her eyes are hard and I realise however good I consider myself at faking emotions, she sees straight through me, just like Mags.

I sigh. I should probably just tell the truth.

"Fine." I say. "No, I don't really."

"She's tougher than you think."

"I'm sure she is..."

"Don't patronise me, Odair." The elderly woman snaps. "She's my Granddaughter and she's all I have. She's pretty – and I'm not stupid, I know that matters - but she's smart and tough too, so don't you dare write her off just because you've got Ethan Marborough to fight for as well." I stare at her in surprise, feeling a lot like I'm being scolded by Mags, and she glares fiercely back. "I've seen you, Odair. You pick your favourite and you focus on them and leave the other to fend for themselves." My mouth opens and shuts and I have a feeling I probably look a lot like a fish. "Well, Odair?" She taps her foot impatiently. "What have you got to say for yourself?"

I am silent for a moment.

"I won't write her off." I say eventually.

"You promise?" She asks.

"I do." I nod. "I'll help her, I promise." There is a pause and then I meet her eyes. "You do realise," I say seriously. "That Ethan has more chance of winning."

"Yes." She sighs, her eyes a little sad. "But I don't want her to die. Selfish as it may seem, I don't want to be on my own."

I know the feeling, I think. No, scrap that, I'm not really alone, I have Mags and my sister and her family. But still, the sadness and the loneliness in her voice strikes a chord and I suddenly feel obligated to do what I can to bring her home her Granddaughter.

"I will try." I promise her genuinely. "But I can't guarantee anything. You know that once she's in the arena, she'll have to fight for herself."

"I do." She says and for the first time, I see a tear in the corner of her eye. "But thank you, Finnick... Thank you."

* * *

...

* * *

I'm just about to board the train that will take us all to the Capitol when a loud, familiar voice echoes around 4's tiny station.

"Finn! Wait!"

I turn to see my sister (older than me by five years) racing down the platform towards me, her long hair the exact colour of mine falling haphazardly from her plait and her cheeks flushed red. Behind her hurries her long suffering husband, Darryl, their three year old son, Max, on his shoulders and their seven year old daughter, Bianca, clinging onto his hand.

Smiling at the one woman whirlwind that is my sister, I step off the ramp, back onto the platform. She ploughs into me, flinging her arms around my neck and I have to take a staggering step backwards. I laugh.

"Jen." I say, giving her a squeeze. "I thought you'd decided not to say goodbye this time."

She pulls away, her freckled nose wrinkling in irritation.

"New batch of peacekeepers this year." She informs me. "None of them recognised me and then they wouldn't let me through. We had to wait for Gabe to get here and tell them it was alright." I roll my eyes, releasing her from my grasp. New peacekeepers are always such _jobsworths._ At least Gabe (Head peacekeeper and actually a pretty nice bloke) was around.

"How long till you leave?" Jen asks as Darryl appears behind her.

"About fifteen mi..." I begin but am interrupted by an excited shriek that can only belong to one very loud, very little person...

"Uncle Finn!" Bianca cries, launching herself at me.

"How's my little Bee?" I laugh, catching her and swinging her up into my arms. She giggles.

"Buzzz buzz." She tucks her hands into her armpits, flapping her elbows up and down like wings. "Make me fly, Uncle Finn!" I lift her up and spin around, holding her high above my head. "Aghhhh!" She shrieks, laughing wildly. "Put me down!"

I drop her back down and she clings her legs around my middle and her arms around my neck like a little spider monkey.

"Don't goooo!" She says.

"I've got to, honey bun." I tell her, hugging her tightly. "But I'll be back in a few weeks and I'll take you out on my boat, eh?"

She lets go of my neck and claps excitedly.

"Yeah!" She beams. "Can you take me all the way to the islands? Daddy said I don't want to go because sharks live there but I really really really want to see a shark and then I can bring a baby one home and keep it in my fish tank and I'll call it sharky 'cause it's a shark..." She rattles on for a little bit and I glance at Darryl. He raises his eyes heavenwards in a _what can you do?_ look.

"Sounds brilliant, Bee." I interrupt her gently. "You can tell me all about it when I get back."

"Okey dokey!" She giggles. "But guess what?"

"What?"

"I bought you a present!"

"A present?"

She reaches in her dress pocket and along with an assortment of elastic bands and a rather dangerous looking fish hook... (Jen snatches that away) she pulls out a length or plaited twine. It's a bracelet, commonly worn in 4 by men and women, often symbolising love, eternity and unity.

"Ta da!" She announces. "Momma made it for me but I want you to have it."

"Are you sure?" I ask, touched, taking it gently from her hand.

"Yup yup! It's a _present."_

"That's very sweet, Bee." I say, kissing her on the cheek and slipping the twine into my pocket. She beams at me for a second and then her little face screws up thoughtfully. "Uncle Fi-inn." She says, elongating the sound in a way that makes me worry about what she's going to say next...

"Yeah?" I reply.

"Momma said you won the Hunger Games..." My mouth falls slack in surprise, my eyes snapping to meet Jen's. She shoots me a pained look.

"I did." I answer carefully as over her shoulder I see Darryl shift Max from off his shoulders and into his arms, handing him some very distracting looking sweets. I'm glad. Max is far too young to even hear the words _Hunger Games_.

Bianca purses her lips.

"We're doing about it at school." _Already? _I'm suddenly furious at the Capitol for taking away her innocence, for making me have to explain this. My jaw must tighten and my eyes must flash because Bianca shrinks away. "I saw you." She continues in a small voice. "When you were younger, in the arena."

Oh no. Please _no._

"What did you see?" I ask gently, trying to keep the anger from my voice.

_Please_ don't let it be me with that damned net and trident...

"The trident." She says sadly. I close my eyes, holding her tighter.

"I'm sorry they made you watch that."

There is a little pause and I wait for her to start crying and to run away, run away from the monster that I was. But then she speaks again.

"Momma said you had to do it." I open my eyes to see her staring up at me earnestly. "You had to do it," She continues. "Or else you wouldn't be here to take me out on your boat."

I smile at that.

"No, I wouldn't."

"I like your boat." She tells me and I have to laugh.

"So do I."

"I like you too." She continues, lifting her hand to pat my cheek. "I'm glad you're here." I kiss her nose.

"Me too, little Bee."

She giggles suddenly.

"Buzzz buzzz."

"That's my girl." I say with a chuckle.

She hugs me for a little longer and then she starts wriggling like she wants to be put down. I do so and Jen bends down to catch her arm.

"Hey Bee, look, there's Uncle Gabe," She points to where the stout stern looking peacekeeper with an unexpected heart of gold has just appeared on the platform. "Why don't you run over and see if he's got any sweeties?"

"Yeah!" Bianca is off in a flash, racing towards Gabe, red hair whipping out behind her.

Jen straightens with a sigh.

"I'm sorry." She says wearily. "I didn't know she was going to ask about that."

"She's seven." I say with a shake of my head. "Why on _earth_ are they teaching her about the Games?"

"They're watching this year's too." Jen says sadly. "In lessons."

"They're not?" I am astounded.

"They are. And Ethan Marborough's little sister is in Bee's class too."

I close my eyes briefly.

"Oh."

There is a moment's silence and then Jen sighs again.

"I'd better go and make sure Bee isn't eating old Gabe out of house and home." She gives me a tight but quick hug and then another sad smile, before heading off along the platform. Darryl, who'd shifted away with Max as the conversation got more intense, reappears with his son back on his shoulders.

"See you, mate." He offers me his hand and I shake it, slapping him on the back.

"See you. Look after Jen and your cheeky little minx of a daughter."

He smiles briefly.

"I will. I always do."

"What about me?" Max suddenly pipes up indignantly. I grin up at him.

"I know you can look after yourself, little man." He regards me, unimpressed, his arms folded, his expression severe. I hold out my arms to him, smirking slightly. "Gonna give me a goodbye hug, eh?"

He continues to contemplate silently me for a second and then his little face breaks into a smile and he reaches for me. I lift him from his dad's shoulders and give him a tight squeeze.

"Will you take me on the boat with Bee too?" He asks in a small voice. I nod.

"Yup. We'll all go and we can have a picnic, and I'll teach you to fish, does that sound good?"

"No sharks, though." He says seriously, shooting a glance over his shoulder to where his boisterous sister is now pleading with Jen for more sweets from Gabe. "I don't like sharks."

"No sharks." I agree. He nods solemnly, resting his head on my shoulder and tightening his grasp.

"You going to the Capitol?" He asks suddenly.

"Yuh huh." I reply, pressing my nose into his curly hair.

"Can I come with you?"

I pause for a second, before eventually heaving a little sigh.

"Believe me kiddo..." I say softly. "You'd _never_ want to come to the Capitol with me."

* * *

...

* * *

I sit on the train in the plush living room, slouched on one of the sofas, Mags seated in the other one. Neither of us have really spoken after Mags inquired after the health of my sister and her family, but we don't particularly need to. We both know each other so well, our silence is a comfortable one.

I'm not sure what she's thinking about, although it's most likely our two newest tributes. I should _probably_ be thinking about them too, you know, working out tactics, thinking up preliminary angles etc etc but quite frankly I'm too busy thinking about Jen... and Bianca.

Seven. Seven years old and she's already been exposed to the horrific world of the Hunger Games. I imagine her sitting in her classroom, wide eyed and frightened as Annie Cresta and Ethan Marborough die right in front of her.

And in five years time, it'll be _her_ standing in the town square... and if I don't keep Snow completely happy, then chances are, it'll be _her_ name that's read out on reaping day. I've already lost so much because I resisted Snow, because I didn't truly believe he'd hurt my family. But he did and now Jen, Darryl and the kids are all I have left, and I never intend on giving Snow another reason to take anything else away from me.

It's impossible to understand how hard it is, how heavy your heart gets, when you have lives depending on you, not until you win the Games and suddenly, everyone you've ever loved is in danger.

Jen's life and the lives of her family, depend on my submission to the Capitol. Annie Cresta and Ethan Marborough's lives depend on my being a good mentor.

And it's getting pretty hard to take.

* * *

...

* * *

Despite my intentions to help her as much as I can and my promises to her Grandmother, Annie Cresta seems determined to hate me. I _kindly_ ask her if she's alright when she first steps on the train and she shoots me a scowl, her green eyes blazing.

"What do _you_ think?" She spits.

Although the hint of fire is mildly impressive, the Capitol won't like her sarcasm and I make a mental note to snap her out of it.

My eyebrows raise.

"We're not your enemies, Cresta."

She doesn't look convinced but shrugs.

"I guess not." The fire fades from her eyes and she crosses her arms self protectively across her chest, folding in on herself like she's made of paper. Weak weak weak, I think, fighting the urge to sigh.

And her Grandmother thinks she can _win_ this...

* * *

...

* * *

The other tributes are generally as I expected.

District 1 is a _smidge_ disappointing – both tributes are on the younger end of the spectrum and pretty small – but I've already learnt that in the Games, appearances are often deceptive. District 2 is both worrying and pleasing from the view of my possible Careers. The boy is tall and muscular, although his almost baby face is strangely unsettling, and the girl, although slim, look absolutely _lethal_.

Annie – silly girl that she is – says the boy from two looks _nice_. I fight a snort, but manage not to say something sarcastic back.

Apart from the hulking great boy from 7, no other tributes are of particular interest. Ethan's assessment of his competition is smart and succinct, whilst Annie points out the boy from District 11. I go to shoot her down but Mags – for some reason – _agrees_!

Annie smirks at me and somehow manages to look pretty doing it, something that just irritates me even more.

"Fine," I say, rolling my eyes in an attempt to hide how much this girl is getting to me. "We'll keep an eye on 11."

I change the subject after that, moving on to skills and possible advantages in the arena and Annie falls silent again. I'm guessing she's not got many then.

Ethan lists his many skills and talents, not in an arrogant way though, because from from what I've seen of him around 4, he'll have no problem handling weapons in the arena. I shift my gaze towards Annie and she does that thing where she curls inwards again.

"I don't really have many skills." She mutters. "I tie a good knot, but that's 'bout it really." She keeps her eyes fixed firmly on the carpet, refusing to meet my gaze. "I'm average height, average weight, average speed, average strength... my skills in combat are probably less than average and I guess I have about as much chance as anyone... So," She looks at me then, shrugging embarrassedly. "I'm pretty much average really."

I know I shouldn't , but it's _such_ an easy line that I can't help myself. A smirk creeps across my lips.

"Good job you've got those above average looks of yours to pull in a few sponsors then, eh?"

As soon as I say it, Mags shoots me a _look _and I prepare myself for a lecture later, but it's well worth it for the look on Annie's face. The utter mortification and the blush that spreads across her cheeks and down her throat. My smirk grows when she lowers her dark eyebrows and sends me a vicious scowl.

"Good job, then." She snaps and I almost laugh.

"The Capitol likes pretty girls like you." Mags muses, turning to look at me. "That could be our angle."

I nod, stroking my chin thoughtfully.

"Pretty but tough, with some secret skills and gritty resolve. I like it." I spot another opportunity and grin mischievously at the girl in question. "Just keep up those scowls of yours and we might get away with it."

As I hoped, she glowers at me so fiercely it looks like she might burst a blood vessel.

Her reaction is so unbelievably _refreshing_. The Capitol women I am forced to entertain night after night are hardened and mature. They like my teasing, but they prefer it darker. None of them blush when I smirk at them, none of them are furious when I flirt.

The Capitol adore innocence and its ruination and they'll have a field day with Annie Cresta. Pretty much like they did with me.

"I don't have a secret skill." She glares at me, her tone still sharp. "I've already told you."

"She's a good swimmer." Ethan tells me. "Really good. She can dive really deep and hold her breath for an eternity."

Really? I suddenly vaguely remember seeing Annie on board the whaling boats last year. My eyebrows raise. You've got to be good to be allowed on the bi-annual trips out to the islands.

"Can she?" I ask.

"What good is that?" Annie frowns before Ethan can continue. "So yeah, I might not drown if someone chucks me in a river, but aren't they more likely just to cut my head off? Holding my breath won't help me there."

"No." I shrug. "But you never know what could happen in the arena."

And it's true. The Gamemakers will do anything for a good show, and a drowning makes for an exciting death every once in a while.

"They could flood it." Mags says quietly.

"Yes." I reply. "Although that does seem unlikely..." A flood would kill _far_ too many tributes and as I know very well, the Capitol audience prefer a nice wide variety of deaths. "But being able to hold your breath for a long time gives you an extra hiding place, doesn't it?" I continue.

"I guess so." Annie seems reluctant to acknowledge she could have an advantage in the arena. I list her a few more reasons why swimming and holding your breath can be helpful, but she isn't convinced.

"You're right, I know," She crosses her arms."But you're not listening to me. I can't fight, not at all. I have no idea how to use a bow, I can't throw knives and I've never even picked up a harpoon before."

"I'll help you." Ethan says. "We'll have three days to train, you can learn a lot of good skills in that time."

Annie eyes him suspiciously, apparently not quite convinced Ethan really wants to help her. I'm not convinced either. If Ethan is planning on earning her trust and then turning round and stabbing her (although in his case, it would be _harpooning_ her) in the back, then he's got another thing coming.

Because if there is one things I do not tolerate, it's traitors, and in my eyes, anyone killing their district partner is the lowest form of traitor there can ever be...

* * *

...

* * *

When we arrive in the Capitol, the first thing I do is go and find the stylists. Annie and Ethan won't be finished with the prep teams for another couple of hours and I want to make sure they won't end up dressed as neon fish. Something I wouldn't put past Austin.

"Finnick!" He slaps me heartily on my shoulder and I punch him good naturedly back.

"Austin! How are you?"

"Good, good. Where's old Mags, then?"

I snort.

"She'll smack you one if she hears you call her that."

Austin grins.

"Naw, she loves me too much. Where is she?"

"Having a rest. She wasn't feeling too good when she got off the train."

"Ah, poor Mags. I've been dying to see her."

"She'll be back in a bit." I tell him, giving him the once over as I do so. I roll my eyes. "Still into the neon, then, Austin?"

"Neon _never_ goes out of fashion." He tells me.

"I'll have to get myself some then." I say with a smirk. Austin – enthusiastic, good hearted but the slightest bit... well, dense – regards me seriously.

"Oh no, Finnick! You could never get away with neon, not with that hair of yours..."

"What about my hair?" I fake offence.

"Nothing, nothing." Austin shakes his head, still not realising I'm playing him. "It's just well... it's _ginger_."

"I'd say it's more _bronze_." A voice I don't recognise pipes up and a young woman – about the size of a flipping elf – pops out from behind Austin. She beams at me and holds out a sparkly hand. "I'm Starla." She says. "Your other stylist."

"Ah," I take her hand and give it a dramatic kiss. She giggles. (Capitol women are so _predictable_) "The lovely Starla. Austin has told me all about you."

"He has?" She smiles.

"I have?" Austin mouths from behind her. I shoot him a smirk before looking back down at Starla.

"I hear you and Austin have already planned my tribute's costumes?"

"Oh yes." She claps her hands. "We watched the reaping and your tributes are gorgeous! I almost fainted when I saw that Ethan. Those _arms_."

"And Annie?" I inquire politely.

"Beautiful." She declares. "Just stunning. She's a goddess."

Well, I wouldn't go quite that far.

"She does have pretty hair..." I concede.

"I have so many plans! You have no idea.." Starla babbles excitedly and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. _First years._

"You want to see them?" Austin produces a folder and I nod. "Right, well, since you're from District 4, which is the fishing district..." Oh please, do _not_ dress them up as fish. Last year, the female stylist tried to convince me and Austin to put our tributes in clams ("but they'll be the pearls inside the clams, Finnick, it's just too perfect!").

Yeah. There's a reason why we've got a new stylist this year...

"Mmm?" I prompt him.

"Well, what do you need to fish?"

My mind immediately supplies the answers. Rods. Nets. Bait. Oh _no_. They're gonna dress Annie and Ethan up as _worms_. I pull a face.

"Umm..."

"Come on, Finnick." Austin sighs impatiently. "What do you need to fish?"

"Well..." I draw out the sound thoughtfully.

"Water!" Starla bursts out, apparently unable to contain her excitement any longer. She's practically jumping up and down.

"You're dressing them up as water?" I ask, unimpressed. We've had plenty of blue dresses before...

"Starla has created this material," Austin tells me. "And it looks exactly like rippling water. It's stunning, Finnick, you'll love it."

We spend the next half an hour poring over his folder and Starla's sketch pads, and I have to admit, I do love this new fabric and surprisingly enough, I do love their ideas and designs. Starla was a good choice.

"I want them to look dangerous." I say, pointing to Starla's sketch of Annie's jewellery. "This is too pretty. I want her to look tough."

"Tough?" Austin questions.

"Yeah, tough." I take the pencil from his hand. "How about something like this...?"

"Brilliant!" Starla gushes once I've finished, clasping her hands together and biting her lip almost emotionally. "Oh Finnick, it's perfect!"

I hand Austin back his pencil with a very self satisfied smirk.

"It is, isn't it?"

* * *

...

* * *

I'd seen the girl, I'd seen the designs, I'd even edited some of them myself, but even so, when I see Annie Cresta for the first time in that dress, I am shocked.

I hadn't expected her to look so _good_.

And I don't think she had ever expected herself to look as jaw dropping as she does now. Her eyes are wide and startled underneath her shimmering make up and she can't seem to stop looking at her dress. She looks beautiful but there's definitely something deadly about her as well... in no small way due to the edgy tribal accessories I'd sketched out earlier.

Ethan looks awe inspiring too. He's always looked deadly and this outfit manages to enhance that. Standing next to Annie, they look like the Gods of the sea Mags used to tell me about when I was fourteen and scared and having too many nightmares to ever think about sleeping. Oceanus, Poseidon, Amphitrite... Strange ancient names that swirl like water from the tongue, strange beautiful names that somehow provide comfort to a broken people.

I swallow hard around the lump in my throat and focus again on Annie's rippling cape. I have to hand it to Starla and Austin, they've done an amazing job.

And Annie seems to think so too.

"No." She breathes, disagreeing with something Starla's said, shifting her hips slightly and watching the light ripple across her body like sunlight on water. ""I look like I could be a threat."

"That was the plan." I say lightly and her eyes snap up to meet mine. She must see how impressed I am because she blushes and tries to tangle a nervous hand in her hair.

"Don't touch!" Starla slaps her hand and she jumps embarrassedly, breaking my gaze and staring at the floor. "Do. Not. Touch. _Anything_." I stroll across the room to stand in between her and Ethan, turning them with me to face the mirror.

"Right," I say. "You both look very good – Austin and Starla have done a brilliant job – but these chariot rides are more than just costume parades. You have to act the part too. I want determination and strength, with just a little bit of mystery."

Ethan frowns at me in the mirror.

"So no smiling and waving?"

I purse my lips.

"A little. But make the crowds work for it." I catch Annie's nervous gaze in the mirror and grin, enjoying the flush of colour across her cheeks. "Let's go get you in those chariots."

* * *

...

* * *

The elevator doors slide open and I step into the luxurious lounge, straightening my tie and tugging on the collar of my shirt. Every year, President Snow organises a party for all the mentors after the opening ceremony and attendance is pretty much mandatory.

"Finnick! My man!" Brutus envelopes me in a huge hug before I've even had the chance to look around. "How ya doing?" He asks once he's finally put me back on the floor. I grin.

"Good." I suddenly spot Enobaria over his shoulder. She catches my eyes and bares her pointed teeth playfully, flicking her dark hair over her shoulder. "No Lyme this year?" I ask Brutus. He shakes his head.

"Naw, she's back in 2. Stuck with Enobaria, aren't I?" The last part he aims back at her and she cackles wickedly, turning and swanning off in the opposite direction. Brutus turns back to me. "Did ya see my tributes?" He asks. "Good, aren't they?"

I sigh.

"Can we _not_ talk about that yet?"

"Why?" He folds his arms, a smirk on his hardy face. "Afraid I'll beat you again?"

I raise my eyebrows, unimpressed.

"Did you not see _my_ kids?"

He screws his face up, reluctant to compliment me.

"Yeah... they looked pretty good."

"Pretty good? How about awesome?"

I think back to Annie and Ethan in that chariot, proud, beautiful, _deadly_. And then that awe-inspiring moment when they raised their harpoons above their head. Austin must have told them to do that because it was just _genius_.

"Yeah well, looks ain't everything, kid." Brutus grabs a shot of something strong looking from a passing Avox.

Ha. And he's saying that to me? _Finnick Odair? _I'm not stupid, I know I got sent that bloody trident because I'm so attractive. My looks probably saved my life back in my Games... But then again, although they're helpful in getting sponsors, looks don't protect you from other tributes once the Games begin.

"No." I concede, taking his glass from him and downing it in one. "But I'll have a winner this year, you'll see."

* * *

...

* * *

The rest of the victors greet me with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Chaff and Haymitch – both as drunk as skunks – make me take three more shots, earning them both a slap round the head from Seeder.

"Happy 70th Hunger Games!" Chaff bellows as Haymitch drags him away. Seeder shakes her head and I laugh.

"They're happy tonight."

"They're only ever happy when they're together and drunk." She says disapprovingly. I lean down to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"How are you, Seeder?"

"Alright, I think." She smiles up at me, but her golden brown eyes are tired and when she speaks again, there's an ache in her voice. "I've got a little one this year."

"Twelve?"

"No, she's fourteen. Doesn't look a day over twelve, though."

I struggle to remember the District 11 girl, but come up blank. Not surprising really, since I've stopped paying attention to the ones who won't be a threat to my tributes. It gets too hard to learn twenty four names and faces and then watch them die.

"What about the boy?" I ask, suddenly remembering the thin lean tribute with caramel coloured skin and sharp intelligent eyes. _Mean, sneaky _boy, Mags had said.

Seeder brightens visibly.

"He's a smart kid. He could go far."

I go to reply, but at that moment, Cashmere – who's a little drunk – bounds up to me and plants a huge sloppy kiss on my cheek.

"Finnick!"

"Hey Cashmere," I say, giving Seeder a goodbye nod as she goes to head back towards Chaff and Haymitch, before turning my full attention towards the blonde haired beauty clinging to my shoulders. "You're looking particularly lovely tonight." I say. "Very, um... sparkly." She laughs and gives her bejewelled hips a seductive wiggle. Even her hair is coated in some kind of glitter.

"Just representing my District." She says sweetly.

"You look like you should be in a chariot." I tell her and she laughs again.

"Ahh, wish I was. Did you see what my girl got to wear earlier? I almost got Krysta" - One of Cashmere's stylists for three years running and currently dating Austin - " to make me another one for myself!"

Her brother suddenly appears behind her, his blonde eyebrows drawn together, a little v shaped crease forming between his eyes.

"Alright, Gloss?" I ask, steadying his swaying sister with a hand to her waist. He shrugs.

"Yeah. Nice to have some time off."

I nod.

Gloss is beautiful. Cashmere is beautiful. _I_ am beautiful... And we all know what happens to the _desirable_ victors.

The Hunger Games is the only time we get time off from out 'duties'. I'm not entirely sure which is worse – mentoring teenagers to fight to the death or... the _other thing_. There's a reason why I'm often in the Capitol, although everyone in District 4 thinks it's just because I'm a bit of a charmer. They think I actually _enjoy_ having a long list of Capitolian ex-lovers.

I realise sadly that if either Annie or Ethan win, they'll be condemned to a life like mine and Cashmere's and Gloss's and Enobaria's and countless other victors' over the years.

A hand slips through mine and I look down to see Mags. Her dark green eyes are understanding.

I manage smile.

"Feeling better, Mags?"

"Yes." She gives my hand a squeeze. "Much better." She tugs me gently towards the huge windows that line three of the room's walls from floor to ceiling. "Have you seen the view Finnick? The Capitol looks beautiful at night."

"It does." I agree. "Very beautiful."

She tugs me down and presses her lips to my ear.

"Not as beautiful as District 4, though, is it?"

I laugh and shake my head.

"No, of course not. _Nothing_ is as beautiful as District 4."

* * *

...

* * *

"You alright, Beetee?" I ask, handing him a glass of wine. He takes it gladly. I think it's his fourth and he's already looking a bit twitchy.

"Mm." He nods. He looks horribly sad.

I suddenly remember the little girl – barely twelve years old – with pale skin and dark hair, her eyes wide and terrified as she was shoved unceremoniously onto the reaping stage.

"I'm sorry." I reach out and pat him on the back. "About the little girl." He doesn't reply and I let out a little sigh. "What's her name?"

"Mia." His voice is croaky and the pain there is raw.

Something clicks in my head.

"A relative?" I whisper. He nods once.

"Niece."

A sudden image of my own niece in the arena - a spear in her stomach, her flaming red hair stained with dry crusting blood, the light in her green eyes fading - hits me so hard I suddenly can't breathe.

I swallow.

"Oh Beetee," My voice is hoarse. "I'm sorry."

He nods again, turning towards me.

"Thank you, Finnick."

His eyes flicker across my face, barely resting on anything for more than a fraction of a second. There's a weird look in his eyes and his mouth opens, like he might want to say something more. I raise my eyebrows questioningly, waiting... but he just shakes his head and turns away, moving across the lounge to join Wiress who happens to be curled up in a ball on the sofa, muttering to herself and counting on her fingers.

I stare after him for a moment, faintly confused, but then decide to just leave it.

The District 3s were always a little weird.

* * *

...

* * *

"Mags and Blight seem to be having fun." Cecelia remarks appearing next to me as I stand and stare at of the window at the huge fountain illuminated with colourful lights down below us. I turn and see them both in the middle of an arm wrestling match on the opposite side of the room.

"He's going to lose." I say and Cecelia laughs, her hand slipping down to rest on her swollen belly. My eyes follow her movement and I eye her stomach a little sadly. "Number three, is it?"

She nods.

"It's a girl. We're going to call her Alice."

"Lovely name." I tell her sincerely and although she smiles back, there's a strange mix of emotions in her eyes – pride, excitement, fear, anxiety. "It'll be alright." I say quietly and she nods.

"I know."

But the truth is, she doesn't know, and neither do I, because being a victor doesn't mean your children are exempt from the Games. Cecelia's oldest kid is nearly ten and I wouldn't put it past Snow to rig the reapings in a couple of years time. There aren't many kids of victors around and to have a mother mentoring her daughter in the Hunger Games..? Well, the Capitol would go crazy for it.

"Where's Woof?" I ask, looking around, and suddenly spotting him in the corner, chatting away to an Avox. "Ah, there he is."

"Yeah," Cecelia sighs. "He likes the Avoxes, because they don't talk back. He can tell them all sorts of stories and they can't interrupt him." I snigger, although I shouldn't. It's too awful, really. Cecelia smiles back at me, but there's a sadness in her eyes. "He's definitely worse."

"He _is_ getting old..." I say.

"So is Mags and she hasn't gone crazy." Cecelia points out. "I guess the Games messes some people up more than others."

I nod silently, but she's wrong... The Games have messed us _all_ up. What she _should_ have said is that some people hide it better than others. She certainly does, what with her motherly smile and the blonde hair that curls out about her head like a halo. I suppose I do too. No one ever suspects there's more to me than the charming and lovable heart breaker.

"Finnick!" Enobaria flounces over, her dark eyes set hungrily on me. "Dance with me!" And then she drags me to the centre of the room – her hands all over me, her pointed teeth flashing in the coloured lights of the lounge – and we start dancing. "How's my Finnick?" She drawls.

Someone turns the music up and a few of the others join us.

"Good." I say. "You?"

"Never better." She suddenly smirks up at me. "Like my kids this year?"

"They looked pretty good." I shrug. "Not as good as mine."

"You should see Seela with a sabre..."

"I'm sure I will." I say lightly, spinning her out and then tugging her back in.

"What can yours do?"

I shoots her a mischievous grin.

"Not telling."

"Come on, Finnick." She wheedles.

"Nah, you'll see in the arena."

"I bet they can't do _anything_." She glares at me and I chuckle.

"I wouldn't say that."

"They did look amazing." She admits, sliding her hands down my chest. "Your boy looked deadly and that girl. What's her name?"

"Annie Cresta." I supply.

Enobaria purses her lips.

"She's beautiful."

I snap her backwards into a sharp dip.

"I suppose she is."

"Got any sponsors yet?" Enobaria asks a little breathlessly when I yank her back up.

"Some interest."

A _lot_ of interest actually, but none of the other mentors need to know that yet.

"Oh." Enobaria frowns. She falls silent then as we dance and I feel no need to continue the conversation. I don't particularly like Enobaria – she takes too much delight in keeping track of her tributes bloody accomplishments – but I know what she goes through and so we get on, in a strange, antagonistic way.

That's the funny thing about us mentors. We all manage to irritate each other in one way or another and we're all basically up against each other once the Game start... but bizarrely, we're like a family. A strange _dysfunctional_ family, but still, it's comforting to know that everyone here understands, everyone here knows and no one judges me. They're all I have, and I'm pretty sure they feel the same way. After all, it's pretty dangerous to get too close to anyone who's not a victor.

We all remember Haymitch's girlfriend, Enobaria's family... my parents.

And so, for a few horrible and devastating weeks, we're all together, a family again.

I scan the room, revelling in the familiar faces and warm (if sometimes weary) smiles and I know that next year there'll be another one added. A new face. Fresh blood for President Snow.

Whether it'll be a District 4 face, I don't know... and quite honestly?

I'm not even sure I want it to be.

* * *

...

* * *

_Ahh Finnick, he's such a babe ;) _

_For Annie's view of the 70th Hunger Games, go and have a look at 'Annie's Story'... __Do go and check it out, I promise you won't be disappointed._

_Anyways, thanks for reading, please review or alert or favourite, I love to hear your feedback and any constructive criticism would be great too. Thanks again XD_


	2. A Lot of Heartache

_Umm, I did intend for this chapter to get us right up to the start of the Games or near enough anyway... but I got carried away._

_This covers chapter 7 and 8 of 'Annie's Story' and I apologise, there's repetition of the lullaby scene towards the end of this, although obviously, it's Finnick's view of it all. Once Annie's in the Games, there'll be less repetition, but at the moment, I sort of need it. This is a companion story but I also want it to be able to stand alone too._

_Anyways, enough babble and on with the story. Enjoy x_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO - A LOT OF HEARTACHE**

* * *

The next day, over breakfast, I give Annie and Ethan a few words of advice before they start their training.

"Work hard," I tell them. "Learn a few new skills but make sure the other tributes know what you can do."

Annie eyes me sceptically.

"Aren't we supposed to _hide_ what we can do?"

I shake my head.

"Tributes only hide their skills when they want to be underestimated. You two both have the opportunity of being in the Career Pack, so you need to persuade them – especially the kids from 2 – that you're good enough to join their alliance."

Annie nods but doesn't speak again for the rest of breakfast. I get the feeling she doesn't think she has anything to offer the Careers.

When the clock reads 8.20am, Annie rises from the table without a word and heads around the corner towards the elevator. Ethan stands to follow, but I gesture for him to wait. He pauses, watching me expectantly, but I hold up a finger, listening for the little ping and the scrape of the elevator doors that signal Annie has left the apartment...

Only after she's gone do I speak.

"You and Annie are a package deal." I say. "Remember that."

He gives me one of his determined nods.

"I'll make sure the Careers want us both."

I smile at him, satisfied,

"Good." I say before gesturing dramatically towards the door. "Now be gone with you! Training starts in ten."

* * *

...

* * *

Whilst Ethan and Annie are training, Mags and I set about securing sponsors and drumming up support for our tributes. Whilst Mags tackles our regular sponsors, I head down to the betting stations, where I find Enobaria, Brutus and Cashmere already pressing the flesh.

In more ways than one, it seems. Cashmere, I notice, is wearing a particularly short and low cut dress, showing a fair amount of flawless creamy skin.

The men she's talking to are practically dribbling.

"Oh you are too funny!" She giggles to a particularly smitten looking man, before fluttering her eyelashes, her hand resting on his arm. "Now about that sponsorship..."

Huh. Well, two can play at that game.

I saunter over to a group of young women (well, I say young; the amount of surgery people have here makes it pretty hard to tell) and seat myself amongst them. A few I recognise from _business_.

"Hello ladies..." I give them my best charming rogue smirk. "Aren't you all the most beautiful women I've ever laid eyes on?"

They all titter like birds... and actually, they all sort of look like them too, what with their multi-coloured hair and make up and clothes and all those _feathers_. Feathers, I realise, must be the new thing.

"You're all talk, mister." One of them says with a roll of her eyes, although her cheeks are a little flushed.

"Yes," Another one – with pale pink hair and green lipstick – interjects. "Have you not seen your doll of a tribute?"

"Which one?" I quip and they all fall about laughing. Ugh.

"The _girl_." Green Lips Lady says, swatting me playfully. "What's her name?"

"Annie."

"Ah that's it. _Annie_."

The way she says her name makes me uncomfortable. I can't describe it, it's almost predatory. These women can't _wait_ to see my tributes in the arena.

"Forget the girl." Another woman with purple eyes and blue feathers in her hair says dismissively. "It's the _boy_ I'm interested in."

"Ethan?" I like to get my tributes' names out there. People are more likely to support kids they can put names to. (Plus it stops them from getting a really awful nickname amongst the sponsors.)

"Yes." The woman is practically purring. "He looked so _powerful_ last night..."

"I wouldn't mind _him_ winning." Another one adds and then they all cackle with laughter. Although I really should be used to it by now, I suddenly feel a bit ill.

"Ahem," I clear my throat awkwardly, pulling a bunch of sponsor forms from my pocket. "Do any of you want to sponsor my kids?"

"I'll sponsor Ethan!" Purple Eyes pounces on my sheets straight away.

"Me too."

"And me."

The women start to fight over the forms and I stand, shooting them a grin.

"I'll come back in a bit, eh?"

* * *

...

* * *

Despite my charms and persuasion, my day of searching for sponsors is not as fruitful as I had hoped, but then it's early days and people will be much more inclined to part with their cash once the training scores come out.

Or maybe not.

Annie and Ethan arrived back from training about half an hour ago and Annie hasn't said a word since. Over dinner, Ethan and Mags chat about the day and I half listen – eventually gathering that an alliance with the Careers has been formed.

"There's seven of us." Ethan says. "Reuben – that's the boy from 7," He adds for mine and Mags's benefit. "Has joined us too."

Seven. That's a big Career Pack. The biggest in ages, actually.

"What can he do?" Mags asks.

"Throw axes." Ethan tells her.

"And the others?" I interject.

"The kids from 2 are deadly." He replies and a flash of anxiety passes across his face. "Ash is good with his sword and Seela prefers a sabre."

I nod, remembering that Enobaria mentioned that.

"And the 1s?"

"Jasmine is _quick_. I swear she could overpower and slit someone's throat in about three seconds."

My eyebrows raise at that, remembering the small blonde girl with the pretty violet eyes and perky smile.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but Preese – that's the boy from 1 by the way – he's not really good at much. I mean, he can use a knife but, against any of the other Careers, he's got no chance."

I nod, my brow furrowed in concentration as I file away all the information Ethan is giving me. It pays to know as much as you can about the other tributes.

"Annie learnt how to use a spear today." Ethan continues.

"You did?" I turn my attention to her and she lifts her head, confused.

"Hm?"

"Ethan said you learnt how to use a spear."

"Oh. Yeah." She says, chewing on the corner of her lip.

She's worried about something specific I can tell. Maybe spending the day training and watching the other tributes has panicked her. I shoot her a questioning look but she just ducks her head again, suddenly very interested in her meal and I decide to talk to her later alone.

"Are you alright?" Mags asks her kindly and she nods again.

"I'm fine." She hesitates. "Though if you don't mind, I'd like to go and have a shower." She offers us a half smile. "I feel a bit grubby."

Her eyes meet mine and I know straight away she's lying.

"No that's fine, dear." Mags nods and although she's pretending to be oblivious, I can tell she's realised something is up too. Annie shoots her a grateful smile and then she's up and out of the room moving quicker than I've ever seen her.

Again, I wait till I know she's completely out of earshot before turning to Ethan.

"Anything happen in training I should know about?"

Ethan gives me a blank look.

"Not as far as I know."

"Did you see her talking to anyone? Any of the other tributes?"

"Yeah, the girl from 12 and the little one from 11, I think."

Of _course_.

I should have known Annie would be a girl to get attached. I've seen it before... tributes spend a little too much time together and form friendships and it just makes it harder when they all have to turn on each other in the end. Three years ago, our girl tribute – Merida, I think her name was – thought she'd fallen in love with a boy from district 1. They'd made it to the final two and then he'd turned on her. I don't know what she expected (double suicide perhaps?) but the betrayal and hurt in her eyes before she died was horrific.

Ever since, I've advocated _alliances_, not friendships. Cold and convenient relationships that can end in the blink of an eye. But I should have guessed Annie would be the sentimental type. I'd looked up Seeder's girl and she was right: Belle is small, underfed and despite being nearly fifteen, barely looks twelve. I'll bet she's exactly the kind of girl Annie would feel protective towards.

I let out a little groan of irritation.

Now I _really_ have to talk to her.

* * *

...

* * *

"Can't sleep?"

It's nearly one o'clock in the morning and I'd suddenly heard movement from the main room. Guessing it was probably Cresta and remembering my resolve to talk to her, I'd rolled out of bed and gone to find her.

Annie jumps about a foot in the air when she hears my voice, her head whipping around towards me. Her face shifts into a kind of 'oh, it's _you_' look.

"Guess I've got a lot on my mind." She says, turning back round and tucking her dressing gown even tighter around her.

I go and sit by her, slouching back against the cushion and eyeing her interestedly. Aware of my eyes on her, her cheeks redden. She gets uncomfortable when I watch her, I quickly realise. But although I'm obviously very anxious for her about the arena and the Games and I should be acting considerately towards her, making her blush is just too much fun.

"How was training?" I ask. She frowns at me and I explain. "Ethan told us what he'd been getting up to, but you didn't say a word."

She pauses for a second, considering.

"Good, I think. I've learnt the basics with a spear, although I can't throw it very far. The girl from 12 showed me how to light a fire and I've learnt a bit about plant life from Belle."

_Belle_.

I hide the frustration in my tone and attempt to speak lightly.

"Belle?"

"District 11." She tells me, apparently not realising I'm a smidge irritated with her. "Which reminds me," She continues. "That boy from 11? He can throw knives better than anyone I've ever seen."

_That_ distracts me.

Huh. She and Mags _were_ right after all.

When I admit that out loud, I try to ignore the flicker of smugness across her mouth and decide to tackle the subject I'd come to find her about.

"Annie," I say seriously, looking her in the eyes. "Don't get too friendly with the other tributes."

"I'm not." She says, her eyebrows creasing.

"Learn from the trainers, not them." I say. "Believe me, being on first names basis with kids you have to kill makes it a million times harder."

Her answer is instantaneous.

"I'm not going to kill them."

Brilliant. Just brilliant. Another flipping Merida on my hands...

"No?" I smirk at her, trying not to let my irritating show. "And how do you expect to win?"

She is silent, then, turning away and staring across the room.

Ha, I think... _that_ got her.

But then she speaks again and her voice is so small I have to lean close to hear her.

"I'm not going to win."

I frown, a little baffled at her response.

"You might."

She lets out a disbelieving snort and turns on me.

Yeah, right." She snaps. "Even you and Mags know Ethan is your best bet." I open my mouth to negate her but she's not finished. "Jasmine – the girl from 1 – asked me today what my weapon of choice is, and I nearly said _hiding_! Yes, I can use a spear now, yes I could probably hurt someone pretty badly, but I don't _want_ to, Finnick, I don't _want_ to kill anybody."

Tears spring up in her eyes and I am suddenly reminded of myself, fourteen and terrified and in exactly the same position as she is in now. I never wanted to kill anybody, but I did. I had to or else I wouldn't be here now.

But still, I was a snivelling wreck before I went into the arena and that's something I seem to forget when I'm dealing with my tributes.

The Hunger Games have made you hard, I tell myself severely.

"I don't want to die, Finnick," Annie continues miserably. "But I don't think I could live with myself if I've killed someone. I... I'm just not that kind of person."

"The Games change you, Annie." I tell her my voice suddenly very weary. "You do what you have to do."

I see her swallow back the tears and can't help but feel a surge of... of something I can't really explain towards her. I don't know what it is. Pride? Guilt? Affection?

"I don't want to change." She says once she's managed to steady her voice. "I like being me."

"I like you being you, as well." I tell her unable to stop the teasing smile from spreading across my face. "Even if you do scowl too much."

She glares at me but her cheeks are pink and I chuckle.

"There you go again."

"I only scowl at _you_." She growls at although I can tell she's not really mad. "And that's just because you're always laughing at me."

I smirk again.

"I guess that's true."

"It is." She purses her lips and then the tears are suddenly back again and her voice is all wobbly. "But I don't know what I'm supposed to do! What am I supposed to feel?"

I stop smirking immediately, horrified. I'd been trying to make her _blush_, not burst into tears!

"I'm sorry." I say gently, wincing slightly as the tears make tracks across her face. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

She sniffs, flushing again and wiping a hand fiercely across her eyes.

"No, it's alright. I don't know why I'm crying anyway. I'm just overtired."

I suddenly decide she needs to be in bed.

"It is rather late. And you'll have to get up early tomorrow for training. Maybe you should try and get some sleep."

"I can't." She sniffs again. "I can't sleep."

I consider it for a minute and then let out a little sigh.

"Close your eyes."

Her eyes shift suspiciously in my direction.

"What?"

"Close your eyes." I say again, flapping my hand in her direction, and with one last confused glance at me, she obeys. Right, here goes nothing... "Imagine you're back home, Annie." I put on my best soothing voice, my words sounding like velvet. "In your house, with Ava..." She tenses but I reach out and gently stroke her arm, inching across the sofa towards her. "You can hear the sea," I continue, watching as she visibly relaxes under my touch. "And the seagulls, and the occasional cry of the night fisherman..."

As I speak, creating an image of District 4, my own heart begins to ache and suddenly, I can't talk anymore because I'm scared my voice will crack.

And so I start humming instead. I see her eyelashes flutter as she recognises a well known lullaby from 4 but then she relaxes again. There's still a little crease between her eyebrows and I want to reach out and smooth it away, because she's far too pretty for her face to be ruined by anxiety... But I don't, and then, without even thinking about it, I start singing the words to the lullaby.

I see her head begin to droop and then as I finish the song, her breathing slows down and she's asleep.

I watch her for a few minutes, the ache in my chest only getting worse as I realise she'll probably be dead in a few days time. I don't know which would be worse to watch... her dying in the first five minutes of the Games or hanging on right to the end, only to be taken down by another Career.

Because she won't win. Not up against such stiff competition. Because she's right. Ethan _is_ our best bet at a victor and in all probability, she's going to die. Ethan seems to think she'll be pretty good with a spear by the end of training, but I'm not convinced that it'll be enough to save her in the arena.

As I watch, she lets out a little snuffle and shifts position, resting her head against the arm of the sofa, all curled up like a hedgehog. I feel a sudden rush of something that can only be described as affection and but shake it off.

I will _not_ befriend my tributes. I will _not_ care about them.

And above all, I will _not_ allow myself to grow fond of the pretty girl asleep next to me.

Because in the world I live in, everything and everyone you care about ends up being taken away from you. _Caring _is only another weapon the Capitol can use against you, both in the arena and out here in the real world. The power Snow holds over me by threatening the lives of my remaining family members is indicative enough of _that._

And so I stand and start tiredly back towards my room... leaving Annie Cresta fast asleep on the sofa behind me.

* * *

...

* * *

_Yeah, hope you enjoyed it ;)_

_Just a note... Finnick ain't falling for Annie yet, he's just beginning to care about her. After seeing (let me just work it out...) 8 kids die over the past four years since he was victor (plus the other tribute in his own Games) he's realised that you can't care about your tributes because it only makes it all worse. So he tries not to care about his kids but Annie and Ethan are just so awesome they're getting under his skin!_

_Ahh gotta love a bit of angsty Odair._

_As always, thanks for reading, pace will pick up once we're in the Games and then we'll have a lot more mentor action which I know is pretty much the best part of this fic... so yeah, stick around._

_PEACE OUT_


	3. Anger and Agitation

_Hey guys... another chapter for you tonight, covering chapters 9 and 10 of 'Annie's Story'. As the title suggests, lots of anger, lots of agitation and lots of anxiety too. Just an angsty chapter in general really ;)_

_Anyways, thanks to those who've reviewed and favourited/alerted, it's a huge compliment, so thank you... Right, gushing aside, enjoy x_

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE - ANGER AND AGITATION**

* * *

"Finnick, sweetie, stop it." Violet Lovedaie coos from where she's sat on a plush purple sofa. "You're just winding yourself up."

Currently, I'm pacing agitatedly up and down the corridor outside the gym with some of the mentors, waiting for our tributes to finish their private sessions with the Gamemakers. Well, I'm the only one pacing. Everyone else is seated on one of the sofas or leant up against the wall.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm _never_ this anxious.

I shoot a fierce glare in the direction of district 4's charming escort and she subsides with tut and a shake of her head.

The training room door suddenly swings open and Ash – the kid from district 2 – parades through, out into the corridor. His chest is puffed out like a flipping parrot and he walks the unmistakable swagger of an arrogant little jerk.

"How did you do?" Brutus is upon him immediately.

"Awesome." Ash announces smugly. "A 10 at least."

He spots me scowling at him and his eyebrows lift in a _what ya looking at, punk g_esture.

"Worried about Cresta?" He smirks. My eyes narrow.

"Why would I be?"

"Just 'cause she's gonna flunk it. Got no guts, you see."

I feel my lips pull back into a fierce snarl.

"You keep your mouth shut."

His smirk widens.

"I can't tell you how much I'm going to enjoy _killing_ her..."

That does it. I start towards him, suddenly furious.

"Shut the hell up..."

"Woah, hey Finnick man..." Brutus pulls Ash away, stepping in between us. "Calm down."

"Yeah." Ash rolls his eyes. "Sheesh."

My fists clench and if it wouldn't cause any damage to my own tributes, I'd punch him in his stupid face.

"Brutus." I say through gritted teeth. "If you don't get him out of my sight, I swear I will _murder_ him."

Ash lets out a snort and Brutus turns on him.

"Hey kid, leave it off." The cheeky little bugger rolls his eyes again and Brutus cuffs him across the ear. "Get out of here!"

Mumbling angrily under his breath, Ash turns on his heel and storms off. I glare after him.

"Sorry man." Brutus shakes his head once his tribute has disappeared through the double doors at the end of the corridor. "He's a flipping maniac."

I shrug, still angry but knowing there isn't much I can really do.

"No more than we are."

"Yeah." Brutus shoots me a sidelong glance. "But none of us were that bonkers before the Games." He pauses and I see a little smirk flicker across his lips. "Except for Enobaria perhaps..."

I let out a humourless laugh.

"I don't know what they do to you in District 2."

I see Brutus's forehead crease.

"Seriously man, you really don't want to know."

* * *

...

* * *

"Annie." I knock gently on her en suite bathroom door. "Annie, open up, _please_."

"Go away." She shouts and then I hear her throw up again. I wait for her to finish and then continue my knocking.

"Annie?"

"Leave me alone!"

I sigh.

"Was it really that bad?"

"No, I was great... Now leave me alone!"

She vomits again and I wince. I can't tell if she's telling me the truth or not... but then, why would she be hurling up everything she's eaten today if she'd been great during her private session? And by the way she'd burst through the gym doors and fled upstairs, completely ignoring me and Violet, I can tell something went wrong.

"Annie..."

"Go away, Finnick!" She screams through the door.

"But..."

"I don't want to talk to you!"

I let out another sigh. I guess I'll just have to wait for the scores to come in, since she won't tell me anything.

As I walk away, I hear her gag and then another round of vomit splashes down the toilet.

* * *

...

* * *

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen..." Claudius Templesmith and Caesar Flickerman's beaming faces appear on the TV and I settle into the sofa next to Ethan. "Get your purses ready." Claudius Templesmith continues. "Because we've got some very promising tributes this year."

"That'll be you." I tell Ethan. He gives me a half smile but I can tell he's nervous.

"Have I missed anything?" Mags ambles in, her eyes on the television.

"No, they haven't started yet." I say. "Flickerman's just doing the spiel."

"Where's Annie?" Ethan asks suddenly.

"Throwing up in the toilet." I reply drily and his eyes widen.

"Oh."

After a quick recap of the scoring rules and the numbers people need to place bets, the scores are eventually announced.

"District 1." Templesmith says and Jasmine and Preese's faces appear on the screen behind his head. As he announces their names and their scores, the numbers appear too.

Jasmine receives an 8 and Preese a 5.

Not bad considering the girl's about the size of a fairy.

"District 2."

Seela – the terrifying girl with dark eyes, dark hair and full pouty lips – achieves a 10.

Ash gets a 9.

I burst out laughing, earning myself an odd look from Mags and Ethan. Bet Ash ain't too happy right now...

"District 3."

The little girl, Mia, (Beetee's niece) gets a 2 and Mags and I exchange little worried glances. That's pretty low, even for a twelve year old.

Poor Beetee.

And then...

"District 4." Flickerman announces. Annie's photograph – her green eyes wide and the one corner of her lips lifted in a hesitant smile – appears behind his head. "Annie Cresta." He continues, glancing down at the cards in his hands and I hold my breath... "8."

Yes!

Mags lets out a little whoop and I laugh. An 8. How the hell did she manage that?

"Ethan Marborough." Flickerman carries on, shuffling his cards, smiling at the camera.

I feel Ethan tense next to me.

"10."

Ethan leaps to his feet, pumping his fist.

"Yes!"

I stand too, slapping him on the back.

"Well done, Marborough!"

"A 10!" He shakes his head. " I don't believe it... I didn't even hit the bullseye every time."

"Good work, sweetie." Mags nods from the other sofa, her eyes pleased.

Ethan grins, throwing himself back on the sofa with a happy sigh.

"And Annie got an 8 too!" He continues. "I thought she did badly...You know, what with the locking herself away in the bathroom."

"And the vomiting?" I interject, sitting back down next to him. He gives me a worried look.

"Yeah and that. I should probably go and tell her she hasn't got anything to worry about."

"Nah." I flap a hand at him as he makes to stand up. "She'll come when she's ready."

And so we leave her be, instead staying in the living room to watch the rest of the scores being announced. The other Career – the boy from 7 – gets a 10 too (there's some stiff competition this year) and then the small girl – Belle – from 11 gets a 4. The boy from 11, the one Annie has nicknamed Sneaky Eyes whenever she mentions him, gets a _9_.

_A 9!_

"Wow." Ethan frowns. "Annie was right. I suppose we'd better watch him."

Whilst Templesmith is reminding people that they can still sponsor the tribute of their choice, I think back over the rest of the scores. Apart from the seven Careers and the kid from 11, none are particularly worrying... oh, except for the girl from 12 who got an 8.

Still, that's a lot of competition for my kids.

"Have the scores come in?" We all look up to see Annie standing in the doorway of her bedroom, still looking a little green around the gills.

Ethan quickly relays them to her and I see her eyes light up when he tells her she got an 8. But then he tells her Belle got a 4 and she bites her lip, blanching a little, and then, before I can stop him, he mentions Mia's 2.

Her hand flies to her mouth and then she turns tail and legs it, disappearing again into her room. She doesn't shut the door and so we all hear when she slams into the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before she starts throwing up again.

I turn and smack Ethan hard over the head.

* * *

...

* * *

That night, once I've packed Annie and Ethan off to bed, I head down to one of the betting stalls (deliberately picking the one stationed in the most expensive and exclusive club in the Capitol) to check out the odds and schmooze a few more sponsors.

There's a huge board up behind the bar listing the tribute's names and their odds.

_Annie Cresta: 8:1_

_Ethan Marborough: 3:1_

Not bad. Not bad at all. Ethan's tying for best odds with Ash and Seela, whilst Reuben – the boy from 7 – lags behind a little with 4:1. Apparently, the Gamemakers have decided Ash's aggression trumps Reuben's strength.

"Alright, Odair?" The bartender, Buzz, winks at me, shoving a pint of something purple in my direction. I wrinkle my nose.

"What _is_ that?"

He laughs.

"Trust me... it's good."

I shake my head.

"Nah, it's fine thanks. I'm down here on business."

"Ah yeah, looking for sponsors?"

"Yup." I nod. "Any advice about the people here tonight?"

Buzz straightens and looks around.

"That chick over there..." He point towards a young woman with pale blue skin. "She's real easy, just flirt with her a bit and she's all yours. Uhh," He looks around again. "That guy there." He points out an older man dressed in a relatively plain suit. "Don't mess around with him. Tell him what you want, straight like. He doesn't appreciate flattery... And him." He nods towards a man in a hideous ruffled green shirt thingy. "I heard him saying earlier how hot he thought your girl was."

For some strange reason, I tense.

"Annie?"

"Yeah yeah, that was it. Annie."

"What did he say?"

Buzz shrugs.

"Don't remember exact like. Just remember him saying he wouldn't mind a bit of her. He'll probably sponsor her for you."

I manage a tight smile.

"Right. Okay. Thanks."

Buzz shoots me a grin.

"Any time, mate."

* * *

...

* * *

"Ah, if it isn't Finnick Odair!" The man in the awful green shirt greets me like I'm a long lost brother, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

I've already secured sponsorship from the blue skinned girl (Buzz was right, a few compliments and she was eating from my hand) and the stern old man (He'd agreed to sponsor my kids solely based on their training scores) and now I'm tackling this green shirted monstrosity.

"Good evening." I say, extricating myself from his grasp, fighting the urge to smack him in the face.

"So." The man slouches onto one of the sofas. "I assume you're looking for sponsors?"

"That is correct."

"Brilliant." The man gestures to the cushion next to him "Do sit, Odair, you're making me uncomfortable."

_Good_, I think, but I sit anyway. A sponsor – no matter how irritating – is still a sponsor.

"You're a lucky one, ain't ya, Odair?" The man – whom I've realised is actually a smidge drunk – leers at me.

"Oh really?" I ask tightly. "Why?"

"All those young things..." He smiles wistfully. Okay, so not only a creep, but a pervert too. Great.

I pretend not to have understood what he said.

"I'm not following you..."

"And your girl this year." He lets out a low whistle. "She is _hot_." I can't help the little growl that slips through my teeth, but the fool is too bloody drunk to even notice. "What I wouldn't give to..."

Right. That's enough.

"Do you want to sponsor her?" I interrupt.

He sits forward then, leaning his elbows on his knees.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" I echo.

He smirks, a wolfish, predatory smirk. I'm not liking the look of this.

"Maybe we can make a deal..."

"A deal?"

"We-ell," He says, drawing out the sound. "She still has all of tonight and all of tomorrow in the Capitol. I'm sure you can spare her for an hour or two."

I stare at him, hardly able to believe what I'm hearing. The nerve of this jerk!

"What?" I ask dangerously.

He rolls his eyes.

"I said..."

"I heard what you said." I interrupt furiously. "And my answer is no."

"Look Odair..."

"It's against the rules." I snap. Not to mention there is _no way on earth_ he's ever laying a finger on Annie Cresta.

"I won't say anything if you don't." He sing songs, apparently oblivious to my anger.

"She's not for sale." I snarl.

"Come on." He holds his hands out. "I'm willing to pay a lot for her."

"It doesn't matter." I scowl. "You're not having her."

His eyes turn cold.

"Are you sure about that, Odair?"

I grit my teeth.

"Completely."

His lip curls into a fierce glower.

"I have a lot of money, Odair," He growls. "So I'd think pretty long and hard about turning me down..."

"Forget it." I stand and wave him off. "Annie Cresta is not for sale. End of story."

I go to turn away but he launches himself to his feet, grabbing hold of my arm in a vice like grip. I stop still, turning my head slowly to glare at him.

"Take your hand off me _now_."

There is a silence as people around realise what's going on, as I fight to control my anger, as that infuriatingly arrogant smirk drifts back across his lips.

His nostrils flare.

"Make me."

And so I do. Make him that is. And my preferred method of _making him _is punching him in his stupid face.

Repeatedly.

Well, at least until he's out cold on the floor and I'm being dragged away by the bartender and some other members of staff.

"I'm sorry, mate, but I'm going have to ban you." Buzz tells me as he escorts me to the door. I mutter an apology but then I'm outside in the cold night air, the door closing behind me.

Great. Just great.

I've lost a lucrative sponsor (although there was no way I was going to _sell_ one of my tributes) and I've probably scared off a whole load more. I'll bet someone got a picture and it'll be in the papers tomorrow; The Great Finnick Odair protecting the virtue of his poor little helpless tribute.

Although I know I sort of just saved her, I still somehow feel like I've let Annie down.

* * *

...

* * *

The next day is interview day and me, Mags and Violet spend all day working with Annie and Ethan to prepare them for it. Ethan's angle is deadly through and through but I decide that won't work with Annie.

She's pretty and tough enough to get a training score of 8, but she's not _deadly_. She's smart enough to survive in difficult situations but she's not really a killer. Personally, I think that once she's _in_ the arena, her survival instincts will kick in, but she doesn't seem convinced.

When I tell her she's already got some sponsors, her mouth falls open and she stares at me in complete and utter surprise.

"Really?"

I laugh.

"Yeah, they're all under the impression you're some kind of beautiful warrior princess..."

Her cheeks turn pink and she gives a sort of inelegant grunt.

"Well, they're going to be disappointed."

I roll my eyes. What is _with_ this girl?

"Stop it, Annie."

She fixes me with a glare.

"Stop what? Thinking I'm going to die? Because I am."

I glare straight back at her, my eyebrows furrowed.

"You don't know that."

"I do." She shoots back.

"You are such a pessimist!"

"No," She puts a hand on her hip. "Just a realist."

And then I'm suddenly furious with her.

"Stop it!" I explode, throwing my hands exasperatedly into the air. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Surprise passes momentarily across her face and then she set her expression into a stony scowl.

"Me? What's wrong with _me_? How about... um, I don't know, maybe the fact that I'm going to die tomorrow and the whole country is going to be cheering on my murderer!"

"You don't know that!"

"Of course I do!" She glowers at me. "Yes, I've got sponsors now, but that'll all stop when they realise I'm not what they think I am, that this is all a lie!"

"It's not a lie!" I cry angrily. "You got an 8!"

"I threw a couple of spears at a target, Finnick! Not a real person."

"It's no different." I tell her.

And then I see something inside her snap and she turns on me, so angry her face is bright red and her hands are shaking.

"Of course it's bloody different!" She bellows. "I can't kill someone! For goodness sake, Finnick, I get upset on those whaling trips back home, and they're just whales!"

"You'll change." I tell her, because_ I_ did. Because the moment I got my hands on that trident I knew I could get home, I knew I could win. "You'll do what you have to do."

"No, I won't!" She screeches. " I will never ever change! I would rather die than kill someone else and just because you had no problem ramming that stupid trident through people's chests, doesn't mean I don't." She takes a ragged breath, her eyes completely and utterly incensed. "Not everyone's as cold and heartless as you are, Finnick Odair."

I actually flinch as if she's slapped me across the face.

She stares at me, her mouth open, regret in her eyes. She might be thinking of apologising but I don't care. I actually don't care.

How dare she stand there and tell me I'm a cold, heartless killer? Doesn't she realise that unless she wants to die a horrifically painful death, then she'll have to kill too?

How bloody dare she?

"Don't you dare judge me, Annie Cresta." I snarl and I see her shrink back a little under my furious gaze. "Not before you get in that arena and see what it's like for yourself."

She glares at me.

"With all the help you're giving me." She spits. "I'll probably die in the first five minutes anyway."

And then because I'm still embarrassed from the debacle in the club last night, because she doesn't know how bloody hard I'm working to get people to sponsor her, because she doesn't realise how much I really want her to win, I say the most awful thing I can think of.

"Good! Then I can focus on Ethan and maybe bring home a winner this year."

And then I turn on my heel and stalk away, slamming the door shut behind me so hard the whole wall shakes.

* * *

...

* * *

"Finnick?"

I lift my head from my hands and look over my shoulder to see Mags in the doorway.

"Shouldn't you be with Ethan?" I ask. She smiles, shuffling into the room.

"Shouldn't you be with Annie?"

"She got on my nerves." I say as she comes to sit next to me.

"Really?" She hides smile.

"What?"

"I'm just wondering whether you got on _hers_ first..." I grunt and Mags chuckles. "She's a nice girl."

"I know."

"Smart, too."

"I _know_." I fix my old mentor with a glare. "What are you getting at?"

Mags sighs.

"She has a shot at this."

"No, she doesn't." I say a smidge miserably.

"Of course she does." Mags says gently.

"I don't care anyway." I cross my arms like a child. "Ethan could win."

Ever perceptive, Mags eyes me kindly.

"But you want Annie to win, don't you?"

"No!" I cry. "I just... I just don't particularly want her to die." Her eyebrows raise and I let out a little grumpy sigh. "Fine. I want her to win... I can't explain it. I have no _idea_ why. I just do." I take a sharp breath before exclaiming: "But she doesn't even seem want to win! She went crazy when I suggested she should think about killing someone."

"Suggested?" Mags gives me one of her slight smiles.

I deflate.

"Well, I might have shouted at her a bit..."

She shakes her head, laughing softly.

"Oh, Finnick."

"What?" I ask hotly.

"She's very pretty." She smirks.

"So I've been told." I reply with a scowl, but I slump back against the sofa, suddenly feeling very drained. I should be used to this by now... sending kids – not much younger than me – off to their deaths.

But I don't know. Something about this Games – and the kids I'm sending off – seems to be hitting me harder than ever before.

Mags reaches out and takes my hand, her old paper thin skin pale against my tanned fingers. I suddenly realise that she's essentially all I have and that at some point, her life will end and I'll be left with no one. There are the other mentors and my sister, of course, but Mags... Mags is my rock.

Tears collect under my eyelids but I blink them furiously away. I _never_ cry.

Mags doesn't tell me it'll all be alright, because she knows it probably won't be. Instead, she squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"Anything can happen in the Games, Finnick." She says. "Just look at me. _I_ never killed anyone."

And it's true too... Only just 13 at the time, Mags hid for most of her Games and made it to the final three. The other two – hulking great boys from 1 and 2 – had fought it out and injured each other so badly, they'd both died of their injuries before finding Mags.

I rest my head on her shoulder, overwhelmed with gratitude to whomever it was up there that decided I was allowed to have her in my life.

"Thanks Mags." I whisper, closing my eyes. "Thank you."

* * *

...

* * *

_As always, thanks for reading and be sure to let me know what you think! x_


	4. She's Getting to Me

_Last chapter before the start of the Games now; repetition of Annie and Finnick's penultimate conversation but we find out what Finnick and Ethan were talking about! And it wasn't just about protecting Annie..._

_Hope you're all still enjoying this. Please review. _

_Anyway, enjoy x_

_PS For Annie's interview and details of her dress see Annie's Story: specifically chapters 10 and 11. I couldn't be bothered to repeat it and didn't feel like it particularly added anything to this story._

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR - SHE'S GETTING TO ME**

* * *

I don't get a chance to speak to Annie again before the interviews and when I try to get backstage afterwards to find her and Ethan, the crowd is so thick I'm dragged in completely the wrong direction.

I eventually come across Ethan – being chatted up by some stick thin, gold lipped Capitol girl – and then manage to meet up with the Mags, Violet, Starla and Austin near the elevators.

"You seen Annie?" I ask, having to speak loudly over the buzz of excited conversation.

"I saw her with Jasmine." Austin says. "I think she's already gone up."

We fight our way into the lifts and manage to get one to ourselves. I push the button marked 4.

"You were brilliant!" Violet gushes to Ethan as the elevator begins to rise. "The sponsors will eat you up!"

Ethan smiles a little embarrassedly.

"Annie did really well too." He shrugs, trying to deflect our excitable escort's enthusiasm. I sneak a glance at Starla who is still looking decidedly put out, her arms folded across her chest.

"Yes." She pouts before Violet can continue with her barrage of compliments. "Although she would have looked even _better_ in the shoes I picked out."

I snigger.

Because Annie Cresta's interview had been pure _genius_. She'd somehow ended up chatting to Flickerman about Capitol fashions and their exceptionally high heels and then admitted she'd never get her head around them. Of course, Flickerman had questioned her about her own footwear and then – and this was a moment I'd never forget – she'd blushed right to the roots of her pretty hair and confessed...

It turned out she _wasn't_ wearing the six inch heels Starla had given her to wear but instead, had somehow managed to get hold of the saggy, old, water marked boots she'd arrived in the Capitol wearing... And when the girl in the beautiful, elegant dress had hiked her skirt up around her knees, giggling shyly, the audience had gone berserk.

Annie Cresta is no longer the faceless training score of 8 - she's smart and funny and cute and I couldn't even find _one_ member of the audience who wasn't completely and utterly enchanted by the strange warrior princess from District 4.

I sense a few more sponsorships on the horizon.

Starla's silvery eyes suddenly flicker towards me.

"Was that all your idea, _Finnick_?"

I laugh.

"No. Wish it was though... it was brilliant."

I notice Mags standing on the other side of Ethan, her eyes raised heavenwards in an attempt at innocence, and a little smirk creeps across my lips.

Unfortunately, Starla notices the direction of my gaze...

"Mags!" She cries, scandalised. "It was _you_!"

Me and Ethan fight a guffaw. She sounds so _offended_.

Mags eyes her a little smugly.

"Yes. Yes it was."

"No need to fret, Star," Austin pats the little stylist's hair affectionately. "Annie pulled it all off perfectly."

"Poor Starla." I tease, nudging her in the side as she continues to pout. "We're all working against you."

Mags snickers just as the elevator glides to a halt and the doors spring open. I immediately see Annie sitting on the sofa, a little too upright to be relaxed, her eyes fixed firmly on the television and the highlights of the Games.

"Oh good, you made it back." Violet cries as we all file through the doors. Annie turns then, and I see her eyes are rimmed with red. "Your interview, darling," Violet breezes on, completely oblivious. "Was just genius! I loved every second!"

Annie's smile grows even more watery and I realise she just wants to escape, that she can't handle this.

"You managed to avoid the crowds, I see." I say before she is forced to answer Violet."Well, you should probably get ready for bed, it's an early start tomorrow." She nods silently, ducking her head, her hands twisting anxiously in her lap.

"You're awfully quiet tonight." Violet says brightly and I suddenly want to throw something at her. How is it that Capitol citizens always seem to know how to say exactly the wrong thing?

I see Annie's jaw tense a little, but then she just shrugs.

"Just tired, I guess."

"Well, why don't you pop off to bed then?" Violet asks brightly, her tone patronising without her even realising.

She might as well just offer Annie some warm milk and a bed time story.

"Okay." Annie says wearily as she stands, her shoulders wilting like a tired flower. "Good night."

"Good night, Annie." Ethan says and the corner of her lips flickers upwards in a faint smile.

"Night."

And then she turns and trudges towards her bedroom, her tired limbs and drooping shoulders at odds with her tribal, warrior like accessories and shimmering dress. I suddenly realise I should probably talk to her before she goes to bed... apologise, let her know I don't actually want her dead.

"Annie?" I call after her.

She turns, her eyebrows knitting together in a frown and I'm worried that she might not be ready to forgive me yet.

"What?"

"I want to talk to you. Just give me ten minutes or so to speak with Ethan, okay?"

She heaves a great big sigh – I stifle a smile at that – and then turns and marches off towards her bedroom. Mags suddenly starts after her.

"I'm sure you need some help with that dress, eh?" She asks gently as she walks alongside her. I see Annie smile at her and then they disappear into her bedroom.

If only she liked me as much as she likes Mags, I think, things would be a lot easier.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Ethan asks, taking off his suit jacket and dropping it on the sofa. I spot Violet opening her mouth to chastise him for his untidiness but shoot her a brief glare. Not tonight, my eyes tell her, not when tomorrow morning he's going to be packed off into an arena to fight to the death... She subsides without another word.

"Not much." I say, gesturing for Ethan to head towards his room. "Just some last minute advice." He nods and then I follow him into his bedroom, shutting the door behind me. I point to the bed. "Sit."

He obeys, kicking off his shoes and flopping onto the thick mattress with a little sigh.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, seating myself on the small armchair near the end of his bed and leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. He shrugs.

"Alright."

"Nervous?" I raise an eyebrow and his shoulders slump a little.

"Yeah."

"You're good." I tell him. "Very _very_ good. There's no reason why you can't win this thing." The corners of his lips turn downwards, pain in his eyes. "What?" I ask.

He is silent for a minute.

"What about Annie?"

I don't reply. What _about_ Annie? I have no idea how long she'll last in the arena. She might come into her own and start slaughtering left right and centre... or she might just hide in a bush. I don't know what she'll do, but I do know that _Ethan_ is my best shot at bringing a District 4 family back their kid.

"Finnick?" Ethan prompts me.

I let out a sigh.

"Protect her." I tell him. "Keep her as part of the deal. If the Careers want you around, then she stays too."

He nods.

"Right. And then...?"

"Split up once you've left the Careers." I tell him. "It'll be easier for the both of you."

"What if we both make it right up to the end?"

I pause for a second, knowing what I have to say and not liking it one bit.

"You know what you have to do to win, Ethan."

His head jerks up.

"What?"

"Only one comes out, Ethan." I say softly.

"You _want_ me to kill her?"

My heart twists painfully, but against Ethan, Annie has no chance and I can't ask him to give up his life for her.

"I don't _want _you to have to kill her, but if you want to win, kid, you might have to." I fix him with a warning glare."But you hurt her at _any_ other time, I swear that if you don't die in that arena, I will personally kill you when you get back."

"I can't kill her." He tells me.

"You can and if you have to, you will." My voice wavers, but I set my jaw, refusing to allow emotion alter my expression. "Wouldn't you rather kill her quickly and as painlessly as possible at the end than let that kid from 2 get hold of her whilst you're still with the Careers?"

Ethan scowls.

"Ash is a prick."

"He is." I agree. "But don't let him get to you. You're one of his biggest threats and he's going to try and provoke you so he has an excuse to get rid of you as soon as possible. And if he kills you, I'm pretty sure Annie will be his next target." My eyes meet his. "This whole package deal thing works both ways."

He nods.

"So the plan is stay alive and protect Annie?"

"Yes."

"What about the Careers?"

"You'll have to leave them sooner rather than later." I say thoughtfully. "And hopefully, by the time you do, their numbers will have decreased slightly. Leave around the third or fourth day, I think. And try to take out as many of them as you can when you do."

I see his fists clench in his lap and his face sets into a snarl.

"I can't _wait_ to kill that jerk."

I assume he's talking about Ash.

"You're good enough to beat him." I reply. "But make sure _you_ instigate the fight. And keep Annie out of the way."

He nods again.

"I'll look after her." He promises.

_At least until the end_... the words hang unspoken in the air and I suddenly feel so helpless, so guilty.

"Keep her safe." I tell him. "Take out some of the Careers and then go your separate ways. If she survives on her own and so do you..." I let out a small sigh. "Then I won't blame you for killing her." I pause and then frown. "But she has the right to try and kill you too, Ethan." He gives me a brief nod and then the corners of his lips tug down again. "What?" I ask.

He pauses for a moment, his blonde eyebrows furrowed.

"It's just... if I win," He says eventually. "Then it means everyone else has to die."

"That _is_ how the Games work." I say lightly and sudden fury flashes across his face.

"It's all so stupid!" He cries, throwing his hands up in the air. "So useless and pointless and stupid!"

"Easy there." I say warningly, knowing there's a rather high probability that this room is bugged. Ethan will have a difficult enough time surviving anyway without giving the Capitol a reason to want him dead.

"There's no reason for all of this." He growls through gritted teeth.

I sigh.

"No, but if you want to get home and see your family again, then you have to win."

His eyes meet mine, the fury fading and a strange sadness mingled with curiosity seeping into his expression.

"Your parents are dead, aren't they?"

Pain constricts in my chest at his unexpected question and I have to pause for a moment before answering.

"Yes."

"How did they die?"

My jaw clenches.

"Boating accident."

"Really?" He asks sceptically.

"Yes."

"Your dad was an expert sailor..."

"I know." I interrupt sadly. "I know."

Something in my face must warn him, must make him realise that's it's too dangerous to question things, because he sighs and drops it.

But he knows. He knows that my parents weren't killed in a boating accident. He knows winning ain't all it's cracked up to be.

"It's not all bad. Jen is still okay." I mutter and I see him close his eyes. Bitterness seeps into my voice. "But I resisted and they had to teach me a lesson."

His fists clench again.

"I want to win." He says eventually, opening his eyes to look at me. "I want to go home to my family more than anything else in the world."

"I know." I say softly.

"I'll fight hard, I promise you." He tells me, setting his jaw determinedly. "I won't go down without a bloody good fight. I won't let _them_ win."

I don't exactly know who he's talking about – the Capitol or the other tributes – but right now, it doesn't really matter.

Tomorrow, my favourite tributes will go into the arena and the dark haired, green eyed girl I've come to care about will die.

In fact, I've just sealed her fate by telling Ethan to kill her when the time comes. But how can I ask him to spare her? How can I ask him to give up his life and his family just for her? I can't and I won't. It's not fair.

At the moment, all I can do is hope that once they split up, Annie will have the good sense to stay hidden and away from Ethan Marborough.

* * *

...

* * *

"Are you decent?" I call through Annie's bedroom door. There is a small pause and then she replies.

"Yes."

I push the door open and step inside, just as she ties that fluffy dressing gown around her. I grin at her, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't reach my eyes. _I just told Ethan he could kill her..._

"Good night, Annie." Mags starts towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." She gives me a slight smile as she leaves and I wonder what she's told Annie. I'll have to ask her about it later.

The door shuts behind her and then the room is silent. It stays that way for a few minutes; neither of us speaking or moving.

"So," She says, sitting delicately on the bed and tucking her legs underneath her. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"I did." I reply. But I don't elaborate.

"So," Her eyes flash with mild impatience. "Talk."

I unravel myself from my suit jacket, throwing it carelessly on the end of her bed, and then grab her dressing table chair, spinning it round to straddle it and lean on my arms on the back.

But I still don't speak.

She lets out a little huff.

"What did you talk to Ethan about?"

"This and that." I shrug.

She fiddles self consciously with her sleeve.

"Oh. Is it all top secret then?"

_Yes._

"No." I reply quickly. She can _never_ know what I said to him. "It's just not very exciting."

"Go on." Her eyes meet mine. "What did you talk about?"

I pause for a second, running mine and Ethan's conversation over in my head... editing most of it out.

"I told him to protect you."

"I don't need protecting." She snaps. I can't help it... my eyebrows lift. "Well okay," She purses her lips. "Maybe I do. Just a little." I go to grin at her, but then it sort of flickers and fades because she'll be dead in a couple of days. A week tops. She shoots me a sad smile. "That was... generous of you to tell him that."

"He would have done it anyway." I answer, because it's true. Ethan Marborough is a nice kid and I'm fairly certain he genuinely cares for her. And then I realise what she said. "What do you mean '_generous_'?" I ask.

"Well," Her head ducks and her hands knot together in her lap. "I know you're betting on Ethan... and giving him the job of protecting me could put him in danger."

I sigh.

"I'm not betting on Ethan."

Her head lifts.

"What?"

"Well, I'm not _not_ betting on him, if you know what I mean. I just..." I search for the words. "I just think you both have a shot at this."

"Really?"

I smile.

"Of course."

And it's the truth...Because she _does_ have a shot at this. As long as she keeps out of Ethan's way after they split up. Maybe he and Ash will destroy each other and it'll be another Mags all over again.

"But how can I," She asks a little bitterly. "When I don't think I'll be able to kill anyone?"

I think back to our fight earlier... How she'd refused point blank to kill anyone. How she'd called me cold and heartless. Maybe I am.

"Mags never killed anyone." I say eventually. Her eyes widen.

"She didn't?"

"No. She was just very good at surviving." I smirk at her. "And hiding."

"But how?"

"She ended up in the final three – having hidden from the start of the Games – and then the other two fought, pretty violently I think, since once one was dead, the other went off looking for Mags and before he found her, collapsed from blood loss. She only had to wait for him to die and she was the victor."

She frowns at me.

"And she didn't kill anyone?"

"Not at all." I cock my head to one side, regarding her apologetically. "That's why I was out of line earlier when I shouted at you. I'm sorry, Annie."

She breaks my gaze, her cheeks flooding with colour.

"I'm sorry too." She mutters. "I just don't want..."

"Don't." I cut her off, fighting the flinch. "I know you'll do what you have to in that arena, and whether that's kill someone or just run away," (please please run away) "it doesn't matter. Just..." And here, I pause embarrassedly, knowing I have to let her know I don't want her dead, that when Ethan has to kill her, it won't be what I want. "Just stay alive." I meet her eyes. "Please."

She stares at me, her lips parted slightly, seemingly unable to find the words to reply. I hold her gaze, trying to tell her without words that I'm sorry and she swallows.

"Okay." Her voice is barely audible... I grin at her and she blinks dazedly back at me.

"That's all I'm asking." I say lightly.

There is another pause and then I decide to give her the strategy me and Ethan have decided - minus the bit about him killing her, of course.

"Stay with the Careers for as long as it's safe." I tell her. "You'll know when to leave... just trust your instincts. Don't stay with them if you're beginning to feel like they could flip at any moment, because the chances are, you're right. And about Ethan..." I frown, not wanting to tell her she should stay away from him - she won't trust him at all then and him keeping her alive depends on her trusting him, at least at first – but not wanting to tell her to stay in an alliance with him either. "I'd advise you to leave the Career alliance with him – you might both need each other to get away – but then it's probably best if you go your own ways."A smirk flickers across my lips. "After that it may be a good time to utilise your weapon of choice..."

"What's that?" She asks confusedly and I let out a snicker.

"Hiding."

She glowers at me, grabbing her pillow and lobbing it at my face. I catch it deftly, chuckling wickedly at her and she looks like she wants to stick her tongue out at me.

She suddenly sighs.

"Mags basically said the same thing, so maybe you're right."

"Mags knows her stuff." I tell her seriously before winking roguishly. "But then again, so do I." Her fingers twitch like she's about to throw another pillow at me, but then she just rolls her eyes.

I'm suddenly struck by how appealing she looks, wrapped up in her dressing gown, her hair spilling over her shoulders, an expression of complete and utter irritation on her face... But I shake it off, standing suddenly and hiding my thoughts with a teasing laugh.

"Here." I chuck her pillow back at her. "You should probably get some sleep. You'll need it tomorrow."

Fear passes across her face.

"Yes, I will." She says sombrely.

"Hey," I say softly, ducking my head so she has to look at me. "Don't worry. You have sponsors, lots of them."

"Sponsors aren't going to stop me from getting stabbed to death." That little v shaped crease between her eyebrows is back.

"Well, no." I admit. "But they'll help a lot. And me and Mags will be watching; we'll make sure you get what you need... Now," I grin openly at her. "Time for beddy-byes, eh?"

The irritation in her eyes is back and I nearly laugh at her.

"You sound like Violet."

"That was the idea." I say regally and then I turn and head towards the door. "Goodnight, Annie." I say over my shoulder.

My hand is on the door handle when she calls for me to wait.

"What?" I ask, turning back.

She bites her lip.

"When... when this is all over," She begins quietly. "Will you... will you look after Ava for me?"

My stomach flips and I'm suddenly so frustrated I could scream.

But I nod.

"Promise me?" She persists.

"I promise you, Annie." I say wearily. "Now, try and get some sleep, okay?"

And then I pull the door shut behind me, leaning back against it, my hands balled into fists at my sides.

I can't do this.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I've never let myself get tangled up with my tributes before. I think of Ethan's family – of the little blonde girl who'd cried and cried when her big brother had been reaped – and then I think of Annie's sea green eyes and I don't know what to do.

And once they're in the arena, there's really not much I _can_ do. It'll be up to them to follow my advice and _survive_.

I imagine Annie in the arena, injured and alone, running from the Careers, running from the boy I told her to trust... I want her to have something to remind her that we're looking out for her, that she does have a shot at this.

"Mags," I say, spotting my old mentor appear from Ethan's doorway across the hall. "Do you know if Annie has a token?"

* * *

...

* * *

_Just so you know and I'm not entirely sure if I made it clear (I may go back and edit)... Finnick doesn't want Ethan to kill Annie. He just feels that in a fight between the two, Ethan has the better chance and he doesn't feel it's fair to demand he give up his life for Annie. Ethan still has the choice however... (Does that logic make sense? Let me know if it doesn't.)_

_And yes, Finnick is beginning to care a little bit too much about a certain Miss Cresta..._

_Anyway, thanks for reading, please review XD_


	5. Three, Two, One

_Just a warning, this chapter gets bloody. Please review x_

_PS I've added in a sister for Finnick now, with a husband and two kids, so you might want to pop back and check the first chapter since I've added in two extra 'scenes', and then last chapter, because we found out that Snow just killed his parents - not his whole family. I decided Finnick might need some incentive to do what he does..._

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE - THREE, TWO, ONE**

* * *

Mags and I arrive at the Mentor's HQ – a skyscraper a couple of streets away from the training centre – about an hour before the Games are due to start. Right now, Annie and Ethan will be in their launch room getting ready for the slaughter...

No, I tell myself, think positive.

"Finnick!" Brutus greets me with a hearty slap on the back as we step into the centre room. "Ready to lose?"

I laugh, punching him back in the ribs.

"I wouldn't count on it, mate."

As Brutus moves round me to sweep Mags up in a hug, I head to district 4's assigned work space.

The centre room is a long rectangular gallery on the top floor of the HQ, huge windows lining the west facing wall, giving us spectacular views of the Capitol. If we all weren't so preoccupied with keeping our kids alive, we might have time to appreciate them, but as it is, us mentors spend the majority of the Games in our work spaces.

The set up for the centre room is pretty complex. Each district has a glass desk, two swivel chairs, a plush purple sofa and three personal computer screens with ear pieces and microphones to work with. They're sort of enclosed, with flimsy partition walls we can draw back if we want separating each work space, and are organised into a long line along the centre of the gallery, facing the floor to ceiling screens lining the east wall.

Our personal screens are vital to us. On them, we manage our sponsor funds, select sponsor gifts, monitor our kids' vital signs (core body temperature, heart rate etc.), as well as keep a permanent eye on their position and well being. We have 24 hour access to every camera in the arena, enabling us to keep track of all the other tributes as well as our own, and we can even access footage from cameras positioned in each of the district's main squares so as to keep an eye on their reactions to our tributes.

I guess the huge screens on the walls are important too. At any one time, we can see the footage from most of the other cameras, the tributes that are still alive, their positions in the arena and their ever changing odds in the betting tables. If something big is going on (a Career Pack explosion, for example, or an imminent death) mentors can even motion for the action to be played on the big screens, alerting everyone else to the events and allowing them to watch without calling it up themselves.

Once the Games have begun, the centre room becomes our whole life, our whole focus.

I reach the sofa in 4's booth and sink into the soft cushions. At the moment, all partitions are pulled back and the only screens turned on are the ones showing our sponsorship funds. The rest will switch on as the tributes are launched, which means we're just as clueless as they are when it comes to the arena.

There's an anxious buzz of conversation around me and I try to tune it all out, instead thinking back to this morning, sending Annie and Ethan off in that hovercraft. Our final goodbyes.

I spoke to Ethan first, reiterating my plan for him to protect Annie from the Careers and then split up from Annie once they've left. I hadn't mentioned killing her again and neither did he. I think neither of us wanted to talk about it.

After Mags had hugged her and moved on to Ethan, Annie stood for a second, her back to me, her shoulders drooping.

"Well." I said. "I guess this is it, then." She turned at that and I'd seen her pretty green eyes were shiny with tears.

"Yep." She said softly.

"See you on the other side?" I'd tried for a smile. She looks so much better when she smiles.

The corner of her lips turned up.

"I'll try."

"Good." I'd said.

And then I pulled her into a sudden tight hug. She stiffened but then relaxed and I'd rested my head on hers, appreciating for the first time that her hair smelt like daisies and sunshine. I noticed then that she was sniffing the front of my shirt and almost – _almost_ – chuckled, before realising that I was actually doing the same thing. A strange wave of sadness overtook me.

"Stay alive." I'd muttered, knowing it was the most useless advice anyone could ever give, but suddenly so weary that I was unable to articulate anything better.

I'd felt her nod and then we just stood there, neither of us speaking, our arms still wrapped around each other. I wondered if she'd been savouring the human contact. She's not likely to be hugging anyone in the arena...

"I'm scared." She'd whispered suddenly, her voice barely audible.

"I know." I replied.

"Keep me alive?" She asked, tilting her head up to smile at me and then I'd grinned.

"I'll try."

After that, I gave her a little last minute advice ("Get away from the District 2s as soon as you feel you have to") and then I'd released her from my arms.

Standing there, her arms folded across her stomach, her shoulders caving, she'd never looked so vulnerable...

"Oh, I nearly forgot." I'd said suddenly. "I noticed you hasn't got a token and I thought you might like this..."

And then I'd pulled out the small twine bracelet from my pocket, the one Bianca gave me before we left 4. I figured my big hearted little niece wouldn't mind Annie having it as a reminder of home in the arena and I quite liked the idea of her having it too. I don't know why, but I felt she'd be safer with it. Stupid and superstitious I know.

When Annie had seen the bracelet, a strange look had passed across her face. At the time, I'd been worried she wasn't particularly impressed.

"If you don't want it, that's okay." I said, chewing anxiously on my lip. "I don't mind... I guess I wanted you to have a little piece of home when you're in the arena..."

Her eyes had widened.

"No." She said vehemently, shaking her head. "No, it's beautiful, thank you." She'd taken it from me then, examining it carefully and I was suddenly very aware that it wasn't the most elaborate of bracelets, just a bit of plaited twine really, in blue and brown.

"No." She interrupted again when I'd voiced this thought. "I love it." Her eyes flickered to mine. "Really."

"I'll put it on for you, then." I'd replied relievedly and so I had, tying it as tightly as I could so that it wouldn't break or untangle in the arena. I hadn't tied one of these bracelets in years – we use a special unbreakable kind of knot – but I'm fairly certain I got it right. "There." I said once I'd finished. "Now you'll be reminded of home every time you look at it."

"Thanks." She'd smiled at me then, something strange in her expression as she looked up at me. I'd gone to ask her what but then someone – a peacekeeper – standing by the hovercraft had shouted across that our time was up.

The expression had vanished then and she'd simply looked panicked.

"Go on, Annie." I said as the stewards had come forward to take her away. "And good luck."

And then she was on the ladder, moving upwards and disappearing into the hovercraft. Just like that. _Gone_.

I wonder now if that's what it'll be like in the arena... there one minute, gone the next.

I hope it's quick.

That's _it_, I chastise myself, snapping back to reality, _enough_ with the negative thoughts. Annie and Ethan are good. They both have a chance.

Mags seats herself next to me, having extricated herself from Brutus's bone crushing grasp.

"Feeling okay?" She asks me, a tremor of anxiety in her voice. I nod slowly.

"Yes."

Along the line of sofas, the other mentors are chatting nervously. It's always like this... the hour before the Games begin. None of us know who'll be alive by the end of the day. We usually lose about half of the tributes in the bloodbath and we often have no idea who'll survive it. Anything can happen, really.

I just hope that my kids can get to a weapon in time. As Careers, they'll be expected to participate in the bloodbath and should work as a team... but I wouldn't put it past that kid from 2 – Ash – to take out his greatest competition early on and go after Ethan. The Capitol don't particularly like the Careers to turn on each other during the bloodbath (although it has been known to happen before) but he could just claim it was a mistake, that he got caught up in the carnage and sliced at any body near him...

My eyes shift towards the clock. Forty five minutes to go. Seems like an eternity.

"Hey, Finnick." Cashmere suddenly appears next to me, perching on the arm of the sofa. "I didn't get to tell you what a fabulous job your kids did last night."

I grin up at her.

"Thanks. Yours were good too."

Her pale green eyes narrow playfully.

"Liar." She says, and then she laughs. "Betcha can't even remember my boy." I try, I really do, but I can't even conjure up his face in my mind, let alone his interview. "Pr..." She hints, smirking at my expression.

"Pr... Pr... Preese!" I announce triumphantly. She laughs again, ruffling her hand through the back of my hair.

"Don't worry, honey." She tells me. "It's my girl I'm counting on."

"Jasmine?" I ask.

"Got it one!" She exclaims, raising her hands aloft. "She's pretty darned good, if I may say so myself. Quick as a bird." She continues, her hand returning to brush through my hair. "And the sponsors love her too. She's so adorable."

"She _is_ very cute." I admit and Cashmere giggles.

"Your girl was pretty cute too in her interview. Did you know she was going to do that?"

I see Mags smirk out of the corner of my eye.

"Nah." I say with a chuckle. "She and Mags plotted it together."

Cashmere laughs.

"Well, it was just brilliant."

"What you talking about?" Gloss – never far behind Cashmere – appears behind the sofa.

"Annie Cresta's interview." His sister informs him. He nods slowly.

"It was very well played." He says. "But some of the other interviews were pretty good too..."

"Like my kids'!" Brutus bellows from the district 2's sofa.

"Come over here and say that!" I holler back. He laughs raucously and then waves a dismissive hand in my direction.

"He _so_ thinks he's going to win." Cashmere says with a toss of her hair and a mock glare in Brutus's direction.

"His tributes _are_ pretty good." Gloss puts in diplomatically. I shrug.

"No better than Ethan. No better than that kid from 7."

A passing Blight – on his way back to his booth from the snack machine – flicks me over the back of the head.

"He's _called_ Reuben."

"Fine." I huff. "No better than _Reuben_."

Blight shoots a wink over his shoulder.

"Thanks, kid."

"Hey Blight!" I scramble from the sofa, nearly knocking Cashmere off the arm. Blight stops and turns back, his dark eyebrows raised.

"What?"

"Reuben has agreed to join the Career alliance, right?"

He nods.

"Yes, and if you're asking if I want to come and work with you lot," He glances over towards the Career mentors. "Then I'd rather not, thanks. I've got another tribute to look out for too and she's not with the your kids."

I shrug.

"Okay. But if you want to discuss anything then that's fine."

Blight nods again, but there's a wariness in his eyes. He's never had a tribute in the Career pack before and I can tell he's reluctant to get involved with us. And that's alright, because we've all got kids in that arena, we've all got lives we'd like to save.

It's quite funny though... as victors, we're a family but as _mentors_, we're competition.

I turn and head back towards the 4 sofa where the other Career mentors are beginning to gather. Mags shoots me a reassuring smile as I sit back down with a heavy sigh.

Let the Games begin.

* * *

...

* * *

Nearly forty minutes later, an alarm signals for us to take our positions. I'm in the seat in front of my screens, my ear piece in and online, in seconds, closely followed by Mags who takes a bit longer to get up off the sofa.

The screens along the wall flicker on and every mentor watches as, to the tune of the national anthem, the cameras soar like a bird above the whole arena.

My eyes dart across the screen, taking it all in. It's huge and circular, surrounded by tall white cliffs acting as an enclosure. A large dam is fixed in the cliffs on the east side and as the camera pans over it, I see that it's controlling the flow of water into the arena, hundreds and thousands of gallons of water forming an enormous reservoir on the other side. The arena itself is filled with a thick forest, the only real break in the trees the large clearing in the centre where the cornucopia is situated.

I only have a second to look, because then the cameras focus in on the tributes, rising slowly from their launch rooms. I spot Ethan straight away, balanced on the balls of his heels, fists clenched, raring to go. One of the cameras zooms in on his eyes and, almost as if he knows we're watching him right at that second, he narrows them, setting his eyebrows determinedly.

Another camera finds Annie and I see her swallow hard, her eyes shifting to take in her surroundings. That's good, I guess, it means she'll get a feel for the arena... but there's only twenty seconds left on the digitised timer and she really needs to concentrate.

Her head turns and I see her squinting at the other tributes.

Focus! I think frustratedly.

And then the timer hits ten seconds and I watch her zero in on a spear.

Good. Go for that.

Five seconds.

Every tribute leans forward a little, ready to run, ready to fight.

Three.

Two.

One.

The gong echoes out across the clearing and everything sort of explodes. Tributes take off in all directions. Legs blur. Someone trips. I see Annie fly off her pedestal, straight towards the spear, her braid whipping out behind her...

But then the boy from 6 slams straight into her - accidentally or on purpose, I don't know - and they both hit the ground a couple of feet away from each other. My heart stutters.

Get up! I chant over and over in my head. Get up! Get up! Get up!

But she doesn't and she's obviously having trouble breathing. Damn boy winded her.

On the other side of the cornucopia, I am vaguely aware that Ethan has made his first kill, finishing off the boy from 12 with a harpoon to the chest, but then I focus back in on my girl tribute's current predicament...

She still hasn't bloody moved! I spot the kid from 6 scrabbling for a knife lying in the grass nearby and my fingers clutch at my desk. Annie's eyes widen in alarm as he raises it high above his head, high above _her._

But then an arrow lodges itself into his wrist, blood spattering down his arm, and with a loud cry of pain, he drops the knife. My eyes flicker over the other cameras and I spot Haymitch's girl, her skinny body still poised, her bow still aimed at 6... My mouth drops open. Annie is staring at her too, also open mouthed, also not concentrating on her nearest opponent like she _should_ be.

The boy from 6 decides to go for his knife again.

But then the boy from 7 – _Reuben_ – appears behind Annie, his muscles rippling beneath his jacket. The 6 boy stares up at him in abject terror and for a second I feel sorry for him because he's realised he's going to die. And die he does. Reuben snaps his neck with a single twist.

The pure power in that kid is unbelievable, and I guess Annie's lucky _she's_ not his next target. Reuben helps her up and she flashes him a brief, anxious smile. I tune into their conversation.

"Were you aiming for that?" Reuben asks, gesturing towards the spear.

"Yes," Annie goes to pick it up. "But I- I sort of got held up."

The clamour around them seems to have died down, and on the various sections of the screens, I watch as the rest of the tributes disappear into the forest around. Not many kids went for the supplies at the cornucopia. I'm guessing not many of them wanted to risk the power of this year's Career pack. I watch as Ash stabs the boy from district 8, killing him quickly and neatly, and then realise the other tribute from 2 – Seela, I think her name is – is taking her sweet time with her own victim.

My heart stops when I see who it is.

My head snaps to the side to see Beetee, even paler than usual, horror etched in his features. On the other side of him, in their own booth, Brutus and Enobaria look vaguely uncomfortable.

"Oh." Mags whispers next to me, her hands lifting to cover her mouth.

Because it's Mia – Beetee's tiny 12 year old niece – that Seela's got pinned to the ground. And it's Mia's blood that is now soaking to the floor beneath her as the older girl carves her up slowly and deliberately.

I get a sudden image of a different niece – my niece – in the same position, and am hit with a wave of nausea, so strong I think I almost double over.

On screen, I watch the other Careers notice Seela. A slow grin spreads across Ash's face and he starts to amble over. Both Reuben and Annie notice at the same time and identical expressions of alarm pass across their faces. Swapping nervous looks, they head towards the screaming little girl. Ethan follows, harpoon still in hand, apparently not realising what's going on on the opposite end of the clearing.

"Annie!" He calls after her, and she falters, turning to meet him. Her eyes snap towards the blood on his harpoon as he pulls level with her and he winces embarrassedly. "Jasmine's kill really, I just finished him off." But then Mia's screams escalate in volume and I see his jaw drop. "Oh hell, is that Mia?"

Next to us, I hear Beetee let out a little moan.

The rest of the Careers arrive at Seela's side. The camera zooms in on Mia and I see her wounds. They're bad. Really _really_ bad. She's going to die, but I can tell that psychotic girl from 2 won't just let her die with whatever dignity she has left.

I know District 2s are cruel and all, but this – _this_ – is horrific. Even Brutus looks pained.

On screen, Annie turns away, her eyes closing, her forehead creasing. Ethan looks like he wants to slam his harpoon into Seela's head. He should do it too, I find myself thinking. The girl's so drunk on blood lust, she wouldn't notice if he _announced_ he was going to kill her first.

Mia screams again, her shriek so loud in my ears, I very nearly rip my ear piece out. Beetee already has.

I see Ethan's jaw clench and then he suddenly spins round and rams his harpoon into the little girl's chest. Her body shudders once and then slumps to the ground.

The clearing falls silent.

For a few moments, nobody moves, nobody speaks.

And then Seela stands, seething with anger. She turns viciously on Ethan.

"That was my kill!"

Ethan lets out a humourless laugh, yanking his harpoon from Mia's chest. I notice Annie flinch at the sound of crunching bone.

"Kill?" Ethan growls. "You weren't killing her, you were _playing_ with her."

"So what?" She shrugs. "It's all part of the Games."

"She's a little girl!" Ethan is furious. Too furious. Blindly so.

Back down, I think desperately, back down!

_"Was."_ Seela corrects with a cruel smirk. "Was a little girl. Now she's just a body."

She kicks back at Mia's slumped form and I swear Ethan looks like he might just kill her, right there, right now.

"You, you...!" He splutters, so furious he can't even form words. Seela squares up to him and for one frantic moment, I wonder if the greatest Career pack in over a decade is going to explode in the first fifteen minutes of the Games. But then Annie steps in between them, her eyes pleading, vaguely desperate and I see Ethan hesitate. I almost see it in his eyes as he remembers his promise to protect her, as he remembers that if he fights with the 2s, chances are Annie will have to too.

"Ethan, stop it." Annie says roughly. "It doesn't matter, not anymore. She's dead now and that's the end of it." She eyes Seela over her shoulder. "For the both of you."

Seela looks like she might go for Annie, but then Ash interjects.

"Cool it, Seela." He says casually, lifting his blade up to idly inspect the sharpness. "There are plenty more tributes left for you to have your fun with."

"You can do what you like, Seela." Annie continues, her eyes shifting nervously from Ash to Seela. "I'm sure Ethan just wanted to end the bloodbath so we can look over the supplies... Right, Ethan?"

Say yes. Say it right now.

And eventually he does, _and_ he promises not to interfere in Seela's kills ever again. I heave a sigh of relief. I don't know how long he'll keep his promise for, but it'll do for now.

After a brief smirk on Seela's part, the Careers seem to notice the lack of bodies surrounding them. Usually after the bloodbath, the killers can't move for blood and body parts. I scan the cameras and do a quick count.

Four. Four deaths.

Ash, it seems, is not impressed.

"Did none of you _do_ anything?" He snaps.

"You only killed one." Jasmine replies. I can't help the smirk. The girl's got guts.

Ash scowls.

"There wasn't anyone to kill! Not near me, anyway."

"I think most of the others ran straight away." Annie says, looking around her and wincing as she notices a bloody body not far away. "I guess we're pretty intimidating..."

Ash turns on her.

"What about you, Cresta? Did _you_ do anything useful?"

She pales and I see her gulp. Say _something_, I think.

"Yeah." Reuben answers for her. "She helped take out the boy from 6."

I breathe the second sigh of relief in the Games so far as Ash backs down and Annie smiles gratefully at Reuben.

After that, the Careers move out to let the hovercrafts collect the bodies, although they just loiter at the edge of the forest. For the next ten minutes or so, Ash mutters furiously under his breath, Seela scowls, Ethan glowers, Reuben cracks jokes, Jasmine chatters inanely, Preese lets out frequent little sighs, and Annie... Annie looks like she wants to throw up.

"She's got to pull herself together." I say, my eyebrows drawing together in a frown as I watch her eyes grow glassy.

"Give her a break, Finnick." Mags says softly. "What that girl from 2 did to little Mia was horrific."

I don't reply, but in the booth next to me, Beetee puts his head in his hands, tears streaking down his pale cheeks.

* * *

...

* * *

_And so the Games have officially begun! Sorry for getting into the blood so quickly, but well, Seela's not a very nice person, in case you haven't noticed._

_Hope you're enjoying this still. Drop us a line to let me know what you like, what you don't etc. Constructive criticism always welcome ;)_

_Loves xx_


	6. Guilty Pleasures and Doomed Romance

_Right, first off, I must apologise for the huuuuuge delay! I've had exams, that's my excuse ;) But since my last one was yesterday, I'm writing again. Yay! I'll also be updating my other stories soon, so look out for that._

_I've also started another story - Sunlight on Water - and it's an Annie/Gale fic, set after Finnick's death. It's definitely a story about friendship and love more than adventure, and don't worry, Annie is suitably devastated about Finnick. I'd love it if you went to have a look even if you're not sure about the pairing, you might like it._

_Okey dokey, I won't bore you any longer (hopefully), on with the story! Please review and thanks for all your support xx_

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX - GUILTY PLEASURES AND DOOMED ROMANCE**

* * *

The Careers get sorted pretty quickly after the bloodbath. They sort through the crates near the cornucopia, divvying out weapons and supplies according the developing hierarchy. Ash is on top, obviously. None of us are surprised there, although I'm a bit irritated that Ethan isn't being more vocal. He's got the authority and the skills to warrant leadership, but he's being so bloody sullen, Ash has been allowed to take over unchallenged.

I'm also not surprised that Annie has somehow ended up at the bottom of the hierarchy. Ash has taken to ordering her around and first opportunity he gets, he sends her up a tree to scout the arena. She pulls a face, but obeys, climbing with an astonishing amount of skill - "She didn't tell us she could climb _that_ well." Mags says, surprised – and settling in the uppermost branches, looking out over the arena.

"It's about ten miles wide." She estimates correctly. "And it's circular. We're at the centre."

"Any water?" Ash bellows.

Annie rolls her eyes but turns to look towards the dam.

"Yeah. Two rivers. One heading South West, the other North West."

"Any high points?" Reuben calls up and Annie purses her lips thoughtfully as she scans the surrounding forest.

"Not really. There are a few slopes and ditches here and there, and a lot of rocks especially near the rivers."

"Alright." Seela tells her. "You can come down now."

This time _I_ roll my eyes. On screen, Annie scowls.

"Well thank you, your highness." She mutters and some of the other mentors – Brutus included – chuckle. A little smile flickers across my face as Annie slides down the tree, her bottom lip stuck out in a rather cute pout. I doubt she even knows how endearing she is to the audience.

"Right," Ash says, rubbing his hands together. "Let's eat and then once it's been dark a little while we'll start hunting."

Ethan and Annie exchange vaguely worried glances, but they all settle down, rummaging through their rucksacks for food. Almost on cue, the sun begins to set.

I feel my body relax a little. The immediate danger is over now the bloodbath has ended, the district 2s' blood lust is vaguely sated and our kids have access to all the supplies at the cornucopia. I know Annie and Ethan's biggest threats are from _within_ the Career pack, but for the next three or four days at least, that shouldn't be a problem.

As long as Ethan doesn't interfere with any more of Seela's kills...

"Hey Odair." Brutus suddenly appears behind me. "What's up with your kids?"

I give him a sidelong glance.

"Nothing."

Enobaria flops onto our sofa with a sigh.

"I thought your boy Ethan was a killer." She says. "Wasn't that his angle?"

"In case you've forgotten, Enobaria," I say, reaching out to draw up the statistics on my computer screen. "Ethan has made two kills already. Ash has only killed one tribute and Seela, _none_."

Brutus lets out a sudden guffaw.

"Touché, Odair, touché." I smirk back at him and he smacks me over the back of my head. "You're getting far too big for your boots, kid."

Our eyes drift back to the screen where the Careers are now munching on a hearty meal of bread and meat and the other tributes are settling in for the night, whether in the trees or the bushes.

The mood falters.

We all know our kids will be hunting other tributes soon. You'd think I'd be used to death by now – considering during my Games, it was me who killed most of the others – but there's something awful about watching your tributes kill someone and knowing their mentor is just sitting a little way down the line.

I think briefly of Haymitch, right at the opposite end of the room. Ethan harpooned the boy from district 12 almost at the exact same moment the girl saved Annie's life. And Beetee. Beetee, who disappeared the moment Mia's cannon fired and his other tribute was safely away from the cornucopia.

"Has Beetee come back yet?" I ask, craning my neck around Brutus to see into district 3's booth. Wiress, previously watching her screens with extreme concentration, gives me a little distracted wave. I smile and wave back.

"Nah." Brutus replies sadly. "I think he's downstairs in the lounge." He pauses thoughtfully. "Think we should check on him?"

Mags turns towards us.

"I'll go." She says, standing with effort. Not for the first time, her frailty sends sharp pangs through my chest.

"You sure?" I check. She nods.

"Yes. Annie and Ethan aren't in any danger at the moment, but I'm sure you can handle monitoring everything for a little while, right?" When I nod, she starts off towards the door. "I'll keep my ear piece in," She calls over her shoulder. "Let me know when they head off to hunt."

"Sure thing." I reply, turning my attention back to the screens. Annie is sneaking worried glances in Ethan's direction and Ethan is staring stolidly at the ground, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Brutus sits in Mags' seat next to me.

"Don't you have something to do?" I ask pointedly. He shrugs.

"The kids are eating. I'm not exactly going to need to send in a life saving sponsor gift in the next five minutes."

"You don't know that." I mutter, drawing up my sponsor pages and checking the funds. It's a pretty healthy amount actually, especially since we're only at the beginning of the Games. Sponsors often like to hold back for a little while, to get a feel for the tributes.

"Bloody hell." Gloss suddenly leans over my shoulder. "That's a lot of money."

I roll my eyes as Cashmere joins us too, two cocktail glasses in her hands.

"I didn't know I was hosting a party over here." I say sarcastically. She smirks at me, dangling one of the glasses in front of my face.

"Shut up and have a cocktail, Finn."

"I'm not in the mood." I snap, watching as Gloss makes himself comfortable on _my_ sofa. It's always like this when our kids are in an alliance. I somehow end up the serious one.

"Lighten up, Finnick." Enobaria says, leaning back on the arm of the sofa and bringing her feet up onto Gloss' lap. "There's nothing we can do, is there? Even if a mutt suddenly leaps out of the bushes and attacks little miss Cresta – which it _won't_ anyway – all you can do is sit there and watch."

I don't answer. She's right, of course. I can't do anything to protect Annie when the time comes.

I watch as the camera focuses in on my girl tribute again and the last traces of deep red sunshine flicker across her face. She looks so vulnerable, curled up near Ethan with her legs pulled up to her chin, her enormous backpack sat next to her and dwarfing her in comparison.

She hadn't been very happy when she'd ended up with that rucksack – I recall her pout with a smirk. Although the supplies in it are pretty good, the thing is bright blue, and stands out a mile amongst the dark green and brown backpacks of the others. She'll have to camouflage it when it's time for her to leave the others and hide or else she'll be found straight away.

Anxiety clenches in my stomach.

If she lasts that long.

* * *

…

* * *

About an hour later, night has well and truly fallen and the cameras have switched to night vision. Neither Mags nor Beetee have returned and the rest of the Career mentors have spent the whole time slouched on my sofa, working their way through various snacks. We've kept an eye on the kids, but nothing has really happened, not even amongst the other tributes. I guess the Gamemakers are counting on the Careers making this an interesting night.

The anthem plays then and Panem's seal appears in the sky. The unnatural light of the projection illuminates the upturned face of every kid in the arena as they watch to see who the four dead tributes are.

Mia from 3. The boy from 6. The boy from 8. (I think of Cecelia and Woof and wince) And finally, the boy from 12.

On the screen, a look of pain passes over the girl from 12's face.

"Hey," Brutus says suddenly with his mouth full of something or other. "Put on Channel 2. They'll be doing the discussion."

Channel 2 is an around the clock report of the events of the Games. Whereas the Capitol's other main channel shows the events of the Games as they happen, Channel 2 gives interviews, summaries of the day's events, plus in depth discussions with a panel Games experts and enthusiasts. They do a special panel show after every anthem.

"Yeah!" Cashmere cheers. "Let's hear what they think. Put it on, Finnick."

I do so – on the biggest of my screens – and we all set out ear pieces to tune in, just in time to hear Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith introducing the panel for this year.

"And here with us this evening, we have one of last year's Gamemakers, Ezra Lawrence." Flickerman gestures towards a man with skin the colour of cocoa and dark almond shaped eyes. Ezra smiles and waggles a hand. "Well known journalist and Games Critic," Flickerman continues. "The very beautiful and talented Ondine Amele." A pretty Capitol woman – the only woman on the panel – with cherry red hair and sparkly blue eyes waves at the camera."And of course, our yearly Games expert, Faris Fraser." The older man on the panel - with black hair streaked with grey and a sharp suit - nod, his thin lips not cracking a smile at all.

Despite being a grumpy old git, Faris Fraser is a firm favourite with the Capitol audiences. Originally from District 1, he'd used their 'Capitol's pet' status to get a job involved with the setting up of arenas when he was nineteen and has somehow ended up – now in his early sixties – as one of the most respected experts on the Hunger Games in all of Panem.

"Right," Caesar says with relish. "The _bloodbath_."

"What bloodbath?" Ondine quips and the panel laughs.

"It _was_ surprisingly bloodless." Flickerman nods.

"Four deaths." Templesmith supplies helpfully.

"The whole Career pack survived." Flickerman continues. "Although there was that near miss with district 4's Annie Cresta." The screen cuts to Annie's collision with district 6; in slow motion, of course. She hits the floor hard and Flickerman makes a sympathetic noise. "Ooh that gotta hurt."

"She was nearly _out_ _of there_." Templesmith agrees.

As the screen cuts back to show the studio, Flickerman addresses Fraser.

"Faris," He says. "What's your take on the Career pack this year?"

"It's strong." Faris replies. "Lots of talent, but lots of clashing personalities too, I think. The explosions will be big."

"Ezra?" Flickerman asks. "How about you?"

Ezra nods.

"I agree." He says. "They're truly formidable. I wouldn't want to be one of the other tributes right now."

I roll my eyes. As if _anyone_ would want to be a tribute.

"I think that's why the death toll is so low at the moment." Ondine interjects. "I think the rest of the tributes took one look at the weapons available for the Careers and decided to leg it."

"I know _I_ would." Templesmith snickers.

"A few of them got some weapons though." Faris points out. "The girl from 12, Elenna?" He glances down at the papers on the desk. "Yes, Elenna. She got a bow and she's obviously skilled with it." On screen, Elenna lets fly an arrow straight into the boy from 6's wrist.

"Do you think she meant to save Cresta's life?" Flickerman asks over the clip. There's a rumble of 'ums' and 'ahhs'.

"Who knows?" Ezra says as the camera cuts back to them. "Maybe the girls from 4 and 12 have a secret alliance?"

I worry about that for a second. I hope they don't, but I have an awful feeling Elenna was one of the girls Annie befriended in the training sessions.

"Right," Caesar moves the conversation on. "Faris, which of the tributes do you think could win?"

The older man strokes his chin thoughtfully.

"The district 2s are very talented for sure." He says. "But from what we've seen so far, Ethan and Reuben stand out for me."

A clip of Ethan skewering the boy from district 8 takes over the screen.

"Yes, that Ethan is something _else_." Templesmith says. "Look how he hit him straight in the chest from that distance."

"He's nearly caused some fireworks already, though." Flickerman says as the screen cuts to Ethan and Seela's face off. "I thought they might go at it."

"I did too, actually." Faris agrees. "Ethan showed great shrewdness in backing down. They'll get further and remove more tributes from the playing field as an alliance."

"Uh huh. He seems to be a smart kid." Templesmith agrees. "Right so, Ezra, _your_ favourites to win?"

"Seela or Reuben for sure." He says. "She's a demon, and the way Reuben snapped that kid's neck was phenomenal. It looked like it took no effort whatsoever."

Flickerman nods.

"And Ondine?" He turns towards her and she purses her red lips.

"I like Annie Cresta." She says, a little guilty smile creeping across her face. My eyebrows lift._ She does? _"I know she's not exactly an Ash or an Ethan," She continues. "But she's just so _appealing_."

"Ooh yes," Ezra agrees. "She's my guilty pleasure."

A clip of Annie rolling her eyes and muttering darkly as she climbed down the tree appears on screen and the panel chuckles.

"Very appealing, indeed." Flickerman says. "But she's like a little kitten in amongst the lions out there."

"Kittens have claws," Ondine reminds him. "She got that 8, remember?"

"True." Templesmith nods. "Well, we'll see what little Annie Cresta can do when the time comes." He turns back to Lawrence. "So, Ezra, can I ask you what you think of the arena, this year?" He winks cheekily. "Better than yours last year?"

"You can turn it off now." Enobaria says, waving a dismissive hand. "They're boring me."

I do so with a little smile. My kids got a lot of screen time compared to everyone else. I spin my chair around to face the others.

"Jealous?" I tease. As Cashmere and Gloss laugh, Enobaria bares her teeth at me.

"No way, fish boy." She says, her eyes flickering towards the large screens behind me. "Shouldn't you call Mags?"

"Why?"

She points upwards.

"The Careers are off on their hunt."

I spin around to see the Careers turning on their torches and setting off through the forests, Ash and Seela leading the procession with Annie and Ethan bringing up the rear. I signal Mags over the ear pieces and a few seconds later, she responds.

"I'm on my way." She says before I can speak. "We've got the television on down here."

Cashmere's blonde head appears over my shoulder.

"Is Beetee okay?" She bellows into my microphone. I nudge her.

"Use your own microphone, nitwit."

"Not really." Mags sighs, answering Cashmere's question. "He's devastated."

I wince.

"Oh god, I feel so bad for him. She was only twelve."

"At least Ethan intervened." Mags says.

"That Seela..." I say with a disbelieving shake of my head.

"Whatchya saying 'bout my girl?" Brutus leans on the back of my chair.

"She's insane." I tell him and he sniggers.

"True that." And then his expression becomes serious. "How's Beetee?"

"Not good." I reply. He pulls a face

"Poor guy."

Again, I think of my own niece and nephew back in 4 and the threat that hangs over their heads. My stomach twists.

What was it that Beetee did to warrant the murder of his little niece?

* * *

…

* * *

The Career pack chooses to head eastwards, towards the dam. From the map and the other cameras, I can tell there are about five tributes – including Elenna and both from District 11 – in that direction, the rest have all headed in the other way.

Annie and Ethan walk together in the darkness and neither say a word to each other. I can see Annie starting to grow more and more concerned.

"You alright?" She whispers eventually. He is silent for a moment longer and then I see his eyes slide towards her.

"Yes." He says shortly. Irritation flashes across her face.

"You better snap out of this." She hisses. His eyebrows raise.

"What?"

"You're being pathetic." She spits. "You're going to get yourself killed if you mope about after every death."

"Wahey!" Brutus appears behind us again. "Attagirl." Mags swats his shoulder and he laughs.

On screen, Ethan glares at Annie.

"She was a little girl." He replies.

_Mia_. I should have known he'd still be angry about her. He may have backed down at the time, but I was stupid to think he'd let it go.

I see Annie's eyes squint up a little.

"I know that," She says carefully. "But she had to die if we want to win this."

"We?" He questions, lifting an eyebrow. Her expression hardens.

"You. Me. One of us, whatever."

"Fine." He says, his shoulders sagging a little. "So she had to die. But it could have been quick. Seela didn't have to hurt her."

"No." Annie replies tightly.

"It was murd..." No! Don't say that word!

"No." Annie interrupts sharply. "No, it wasn't."

I eye the two of them anxiously. This conversation is getting seriously dangerous. In the Games, you never ever accuse any of the other tributes – and by definition, the Capitol – of murder. They just don't stand for it and any tribute that does so is quickly silenced by a mutt or brutal trap.

Luckily, Ethan doesn't try and continue.

"So, what you're saying," He says. "Is that I should let Seela torture the next kid we come across?"

Annie looks pained.

"Within reason."

"Within reason?" He repeats flatly.

"Yes."

"What if it's Elenna?"

Annie and I frown at exactly the same time. Of course Ethan would appeal to Annie's friendship with Elenna. Damn, he's smart.

"So what?" Annie asks evenly. Ethan shrugs.

"I saw her at the Cornucopia. She saved your life."

"I'm aware of that."

"Well, don't you owe her?"

"No one owes anyone anything in the arena." Annie says and I nod. Good girl. "I wouldn't kill her if I came across her personally..." Oh. I let out a little sigh. On screen, she shrugs. "But I'm in no position to stop Seela or Ash or one of the others from doing it." Ethan lets out an unimpressed grunt and Annie scowls. "_You_ might be noble enough to put others lives ahead of yours, but I don't think I can."

"What happened to Annie the pacifist?" He asks sarcastically.

Annie wheels round on him, furious.

"What the hell is your issue?" She snaps, grabbing his arm and forcing him to still. "This is no time for pacifism and you know it. Besides, I know you'd kill someone to protect yourself, so you can quit being all high and mighty on me."

Brutus chuckles from behind me.

"I like your girl a whole lot better when she's mad." He says. I elbow him in the ribs.

"Shut up. I'm listening."

"I never said I wouldn't kill." Ethan is saying on screen. "I just don't agree with torture."

"Well, me neither." Annie snaps. "But we can't interfere with Seela and the others. We need them right now."

"Do we?" Ethan asks, starting off after the others. Annie darts after him.

"Yes! When we leave the alliance, we'll be the first they track down. We have to make sure we're in a strong position at that point."

"We?" He repeats.

"Fine." She scowls. "Me. We'll leave separately."

"What the hell is he doing?" I bang my fist on the table. "I told him they've got to stick together until after they've left."

"I think he's just upset..." Mags trails off as we hear Ethan's next words.

"That's what _Finnick_ wanted anyway." He says, a little snidely. My mouth drops open.

Annie flushes so hard she looks like she might explode.

"I don't appreciate your tone, Ethan." She snarls through clenched teeth.

Ethan laughs drily.

"No, you wouldn't."

"What is your _problem_?"

"Nothing." He says with a smirk. "I'm just wondering why you're so defensive about you and Finnick."

Behind me, Brutus is practically wetting himself he's laughing so hard.

"This is just too brilliant." He snorts. "You and Annie Cresta!"

"There is no me and Annie!" I cry at exactly the same moment Annie snaps on screen; "There is no me and Finnick."

Of course, Brutus finds that even _funnier_.

In the arena, Ethan lets out a disbelieving _humph_ and storms off, striding towards Reuben's faint torchlight up ahead. Annie stands for a minute, her mouth open, disbelief and frustration mingling her features.

"What was that about, Finnick?" Enobaria asks sweetly.

I turn and glare at her over my shoulder.

"Nothing."

Cashmere perches on the arm of my chair.

"You and Annie aren't...?" She asks.

"No."

"But why...?"

"I don't know." I snap.

"The Capitol will like it." Mags says suddenly. I look at her.

"What?"

"She's right!" Cashmere interrupts excitedly. "They'll just _adore _the idea of you watching... utterly helpless," And here she sweeps a dramatic hand to her forehead. "_Suffering_ on the sidelines as she struggles for her life in the arena! It's too romantic!"

"Oh _god_." I groan, putting my head in my hands as the other mentors chuckle delightedly around me.

"Cashmere's right." Mags tells me. "We can go with this if you want, Finnick. We could do with some more sponsors."

"Noooo." I moan into my hands. "This is humiliating."

"The Great Finnick Odair," Gloss proclaims. "In love with one of his tributes."

I lift my head with a scowl.

"I'm not in love with her."

"The audience doesn't _know_ that." Cashmere beams.

"It's a doomed romance, Finnick." Gloss tells me. "They'll love it."

On screen, Annie stalks after Ethan, her face set into a furious glower and I notice her cheeks are still tinged with pink. As she gets close enough for him to appear in her torchlight, Ethan turns and gives her a self satisfied smirk and I'm suddenly sure he's done this on purpose. He must have realised his comment would spark rumours and intrigue the viewers.

I think of my reputation amongst the people back in 4. They probably think serial seducer Finnick Odair has ensnared yet another poor innocent victim. If only they knew...

And Annie's Grandmother! She'll be anxious enough as it is without worrying about me preying on her Granddaughter. But still, if it gets us more sponsors and helps me bring home a tribute (either one, I'm sure district 4 isn't fussy) maybe it'll all be worth it.

I look up just in time to see Annie jut out her bottom lip in one of her now famous pouts.

"Jerk." She mutters grumpily.

Still standing behind me, Brutus lets out a little chuckle.

"I think she's talking to you, mate."

* * *

...

* * *

_Ahh those mentors. I do love writing about them. Sorry if you feel they're a little OOC, but their interactions would be terribly boring if they were all manic depressives. Plus I love my Brutus too much to tone him down. I'm sure they'll be less excitable as the Games progress, tensions rise and the Careers start to die._

_Anyways, my dears, thank you so much for reading and please review. I love to hear what you think! xx_


	7. Dark nights and Burning Mornings

_Weeeeelll, first off, I must apologise for the huge huge delay! I'm sorry to have kept you waiting! In the meantime though, I have finished Annie's Story and updated my other two fics. I've also been planning a sequel to Annie's Story and this, a sort of merged story with both Annie and Finnick's POVs going all the way through Catching Fire and Mockingjay. I won't be starting it until this is nearly finished though._

_Anyway, hope you enjoy this, please review xx_

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN - DARK NIGHTS AND BURNING MORNINGS**

* * *

After their little argument, Annie steadfastly ignores Ethan, striding ahead of him to walk instead with Reuben and Jasmine. Ethan doesn't seem particularly wounded though; the little grunt of amusement he gives when she glares at him over her shoulder is pretty much indicative of _that_.

The other mentors continue to find the whole thing hilarious, of course. Brutus wouldn't shut his huge gob for _ages,_ his comments getting lewder and lewder until Mags eventually cuffed his ear and, ignoring his (obviously exaggerated) cries of pain, sent him back to his own booth down the row. I thought perhaps the teasing was over, but then Gloss started humming a stupid Capitol love song from behind me on the sofa. That was fifteen minutes ago and apparently he's got a whole medley of romantic songs he's not even half way through.

When I turn my head and scowl at him, though, his blonde eyebrows raise innocently.

"Something wrong, Finnick?" He asks. My glower intensifies and he laughs. "Fine." He says."I'll shut up."

I narrow my eyes at him, ignoring the broad grin stretching across his face and turn back to my screens. This is what he should be doing, I think irritably; focusing on his tributes, not slouching on my sofa drinking cocktails.

I'd agreed to go along with this _romance_ with the sole purpose of getting one of my tributes out of that arena, but I'm quickly beginning to regret that decision. Apart from the constant teasing, I've already received a message from Violet demanding details. Apparently, the press are very _very_ interested.

I give my head a little shake – I will worry about the press _later_ – and focus on what's going on in the arena.

The Careers are still slowly making their way – in a very winding and back and forth fashion – through the forest and as I watch, the boy from 1, Preese, falls back to walk alongside Ethan. The kid can't seem to work up the courage to talk to the older boy, though, and he just stares up at him with wide eyed reverence, smiling nervously when Ethan shoots him a grin.

I sag back in my seat, my fingers tapping the metal chair arm anxiously. From my map, I can tell that the Career kids are nearing Elenna from district 12. She's camped in a tree and half asleep, but her bow is well within reach. Not only has she already proved she's skilled enough with it to take one of them down, but I'm a little worried Annie might try and intervene if one of the other Careers attempted to kill her, no matter what she told Ethan.

And I'm pretty sure neither Ash nor Seela will take kindly to any further intervention.

"Finnick!" I nearly jump out of my skin when Cashmere snaps her fingers in front of my face. She perches on the edge of my seat, her hand creeping round to rub across my back. "I asked you if you were okay." She says gently. "You look a bit frazzled."

I wipe a hand across my face.

"Yeah. Just tired." Ha. What a lie. I offer her a half smile and hope she's convinced. "Long day and all."

She nods silently, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. She knows I'm nervous. We all are. Because, well, the Gamemakers like to make the first nights of the Games as exciting as possible, and considering the lack of the blood during the bloodbath earlier, I'm presuming the Gamemakers will need something big. It's their job to keep the Capitol audience hooked, after all.

There's a sudden buzz of excitement from the district 2 booth and on hearing my name, I look up to see Enobaria flapping a hand in our direction, trying to catch our attention.

"Seela's found a trail." She tells us.

My gaze snaps to the screens. The Careers have all switched off their torches and are creeping along in single file, led by Seela who's now in hunting mode.

There is something seriously wrong with that girl, I find myself thinking, as she powers along through the undergrowth at top speed, pausing only to examine the smears of blood forming the trail. She actually looks possessed.

The rest of the group stumble after her one by one, Annie somehow ending up right at the front, just behind Seela and closely followed by Ash. I can tell she's downright uncomfortable, sandwiched between the two of them.

Mags slides into the seat next to me, shooting me and Cashmere a greeting nod.

"Who are they tracking?" I ask her. It can't be Elenna. A glance at the little coloured numbers that represent each tribute on my map tells me they're heading away from her now, turning sharply and heading due east straight towards...

Oh.

Two blue '11's blink back at me.

"Have they formed an alliance?" I ask, my eyebrows furrowed. "I can't remember..."

"No." Mags says, reaching over to bring up footage of the two of them. The girl, Belle, is in the bushes, curled up like a hedgehog, and the boy – the one Annie nicknamed _Sneaky Eyes_ – is camped in a tree nearby. "I don't think she knows he's there." She continues. "He seems to be keeping an eye on her, although I'm not sure why."

I squint worriedly at the screen, suddenly remembering Annie telling me the boy from 11 is pretty skilled with his throwing knives.

"Is he armed?" I ask.

Mags shrugs.

"I don't know," She says. "I can't tell."

"Unless he's had a sponsor gift, he's not." Cashmere tells me. "He left the cornucopia with nothing but a sleeping bag and a flask."

"There haven't been any sponsor gifts yet." Mags confirms. "I've been watching." Gloss leans over her shoulder, his head appearing between the two of us.

"What about the girl?" He asks, glancing towards me and his sister.

"Not a problem." Cashmere says. "She only got a 4 in training."

There's a little silence.

We all know Belle's as good as dead now Seela's got hold of her trail. Even with the boy up the tree, she's not got much chance. What's he going to do without his knives? Up against the seven Careers, nothing, that's what. I'll be surprised if he even makes an appearance once they've arrived.

"Poor Belle." Mags says softly.

I grimace.

"I have a horrible feeling Annie might agree with you there." I say. "I'm worried she'll try and intervene."

Cashmere shakes her head.

"The 2s won't like that."

"I think she'll be okay." Mags says. "Considering what she said to Ethan."

"She's not stupid either." Gloss adds. "Only a fool would cross Ash or Seela."

Cashmere giggles.

"What? Like Ethan?"

I nudge her.

"Zip it, Blondie. Ethan backed down."

She laughs again, her hand rubbing across my back.

"I was just kidding, Finnick, sweetie. He did the right thing." Her eyes flicker over to 3's booth, where Beetee is now hunched over in his seat, his skin pale and his dark eyes haunted. "Poor little Mia." She says sadly.

Poor little Mia indeed. And poor Beetee. I look back up to the screens just in time to see Annie's nose wrinkle in disgust as Seela dips her finger into a smear of blood across a rock. God, if Annie dies, I hope it's not Seela that kills her. I can't help feeling that Seela will _enjoy_ killing Annie, especially considering the dirty looks she shoots her every time Ethan's back is turned.

On screen, Seela suddenly stops in front of a rock pile. Annie catches herself just before she smacks into her rucksack, stepping back when the other girl rounds on her.

"I can't work out which way the trail leads." Seela says. "You go that way" - She points to the right - "And I'll go this way." Annie nods and turns to head right, but Seela grabs her arm, jerking her back around to face her. "Make sure you save them for me." She hisses, leaning right into Annie's face.

Annie flinches a little, but nods.

I send up a silent prayer that she has the sense to do as Seela asks.

After that and with seemingly no communication between them, the group splits seamlessly into two; Ash, Jasmine and Preese veering to the left along the line of rocks after Seela, whilst Reuben and Ethan file to the right after Annie. I'm glad Annie isn't alone with any of the district 2s - I don't trust them one bit - but now her group is heading straight towards the two district 11s. The rock formation is circular in shape so the others will eventually meet up with them, but it's clear Annie, Ethan and Reuben will come across Belle first.

Having said that, the girl is well hidden. They might not see her... Oh, who am I kidding? Seela will sniff her out. She's like a god-damn wolf.

I watch as Annie carefully checks the rocks, her hand skimming the edges in search of a trail. She doesn't look too happy that she's somehow ended up at the front of a hunting party, though. Her eyebrows are furrowed so deeply, they look like they might meet in the middle.

Ethan suddenly reaches forward to gently squeeze Annie's arm, gaining her attention. Silently and with a jaw so tight, I know his teeth are clenched, he points to a smear of blood across a branch right next to Annie's head.

Her face screws up a little but she nods.

"They're nearly there." Cashmere breathes as they carry on for a few minutes, moving as silently as shadows, and the rock pile begins to curve back round. From the other cameras, I see Seela and the others are very slowly following the opposite curve of the rocks. They'll meet up in another five minutes or so.

Annie brings her torch up and seems to be about to flick it on, when she suddenly stills. In my ear piece, I hear why. A crinkling of leaves and strange animal like snuffle. It's not an animal, though. From the map on my screen, I can the group is practically on top of the district 11s. Annie is standing only a few metres away from the thick thorny bush Belle is hidden in. The boy is still fast asleep in one of the trees above.

Annie gestures for Ethan and Reuben to pause and then she creeps forward, shuffling the last little bit on her hands and knees to peer into Belle's bush. The camera zooms in, but Belle is still invisible to us. Apparently not to Annie though.

A look of indecision crosses her face.

As Annie turns back round, Ethan pushes his torch inside his jacket and switches it on. A silent exchange passes between them. _What do we do?_ Her face asks a little desperately. His shoulders rise in a shrug. _I don't know._

Annie turns back to Belle, anxiety plain in her expression. I can see it in her eyes that she has no idea what to do.

But then her whole face constricts in shock. Her lips move, silently forming the name. _Belle_.

God, she's recognised her.

The indecision in her eyes is replaced with pain and then determination. My heart starts thumping far too hard. She's going to get her out, I can tell. She's going to help her escape.

Beside me, Mags has the same realisation as me.

"No." She murmurs, shaking her head. "_Don't_."

But of course, Annie can't hear us and it's apparent she's made up her mind, because she leans forward, attempting to slide her arm through the branches.

"Belle." She whispers. When she realises the branches are far too thick to get her arm through, she flicks her torch on and shines it on the younger girl's face. "Belle." She whispers again. "Wake up."

I can't see into the bush – the cameras aren't covering that angle – but Belle must have woken up, because I hear a small gasp of alarm and the rustling of leaves and branches.

Above them in a tree a few metres away, the boy from 11's eyes snap open.

Back down on the ground, Annie hisses a quick _shhh_, and brings the torch up to show her own face. But apparently that was completely the wrong thing to do, because the bush starts rustling even more and then there's a faint scrabbling as Belle seems to try to escape. Up in the tree, Sneaky Eyes scrambles from his sleeping bag, leaning over the edge of the branch whilst down on the ground, Annie lets out a wordless cry of exasperation and clambers to her feet.

On the other side of the bush, Belle emerges, wide eyed and desperate like a small frightened animal, and leaps to her feet, staggering a little, apparently disorientated from sleep. She takes flight, but then a huge figure steps out of the shadows, catching her like a fly in a web, strong arms wrapping around her little body.

As Ash pushes her up against a tree, his hand pressing into her windpipe, a gentle smile crosses his lips.

"Gotcha, little one." He says.

Annie pushes around the bush, panic in her eyes, stumbling to halt when she sees the scene before her. She pales visibly.

_Don't say a word, _I chant in my head,_ don't say a single word!_

"Well, well, well." Seela steps into the torchlight, the blade of her sabre glinting as ominously as her dark eyes. A strangled squeak escapes Belle's lips and in the tree, the boy from district 11 watches in horrified silence. Seela smirks at the younger girl. "What to do with you, eh 11?"

Dread throbs in my veins as I watch Annie's expression become furious. I think she might intervene - my whole body tenses anxiously - but then Ethan appears behind her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back against him. His hand slips across her hip, his jaw locked. True to his word, he's not going to stop Seela and the others and I let out a small sigh of relief as I realise he's not going to let Annie either.

My relief grows when I see Annie's angry expression becomes resigned. Upset and pained, but most definitely resigned.

"Please." Belle gasps as Seela takes a step towards her. "Please don't."

My heart clenches.

"Don't what?" The older girl laughs in her face. "Don't kill you? 'Cause that's a pretty stupid request, 11."

"N-no-o." Belle wheezes, struggling a little against Ash's iron grip. "P-please."

The boy from 11's fists clench but he's not stupid. He's unarmed. What can he do?

"Ash." Seela gestures towards her district partner, who yanks Belle away from the tree and holds her small body in front of him. He grabs her hair and jerks her head back.

Annie starts shaking.

There's a moment's pause and the silence is deafening. I think of Seeder and Chaff farther down the room. I think of the girl's family back in 11. I think of the boy in the tree who can't do anything to protect the girl from his district.

And then Seela slashes her blade across Belle's thin throat. Beside me, Cashmere flinches at the awful slurping sound and my hand creeps up to take hers. On screen, Ash releases Belle, and she falls, her body hitting the ground with a low thud. A second or two later, her cannon fires.

There is a hush, both in the forest and in the centre room and I stare at the screen, watching as the camera zooms in on the crimson blood trickling down Ash's hand.

A moment or so later, though, Reuben speaks, his voice rough, his eyebrows knitted together.

"Let's move out."

And then he turns, walking briskly back in the direction they came. As a subdued Jasmine follows, Preese close behind her, Ash retrieves Belle's rucksack and tips it out on the floor. Seemingly finding nothing of use, he drops it on the floor and moves on whilst Seela bends and wipes her bloody blade on the moss beside the body. When she stands, her eyes meet Annie's. Her lips curl into a scornful sneer but Annie doesn't respond. She's too busy staring at the pale body on the floor. With a small snort of contempt, Seela strides past my two tributes and stalks after Ash and the others, leaving them both alone in the tiny clearing.

Blood seeps across the mossy forest floor.

"At least it was fast." Ethan murmurs, his hand still keeping Annie pinned against him. She nods but doesn't speak. She looks like she might have stopped breathing. Ethan looks down at the back of her head, his expression worried. "Shall I let go of you?" He asks. A second passes and Annie nods again. I'm not entirely sure he should, she doesn't look like she'll be able to remain upright.

As he releases her waist, he takes her arm and turns her gently round to face him.

"You alright?" He asks gently.

Her eyes lift.

"She'll be okay now, right?" She asks pitifully. Ethan nods once.

"Yes."

Annie lets out a wobbly breath.

"Good." She says. I feel my forehead furrow worriedly because - I know she's hurting, I know this is horrible - but she looks weak. She's still _shaking_.

"Come on, Annie." I whisper. "Show the sponsors you can handle this."

As if she can hear me, she gives her shoulders a little shake and stands up straighter, tilting her chin up.

"Come on, then." She says to Ethan, moving out of his grasp and starting after the others. After a second, Ethan follows her, glancing one last time over his shoulder at the body on the forest floor.

A few minutes later, the trees above Belle rustle almost inaudibly, and the boy from 11 climbs slowly down the branches. He drops to the ground as silently as a moth and takes a few steps forward towards the slumped lifeless body of his district partner.

He crouches beside her and from the look of pain on his face, I can only assume he knows her. There is complete silence in the centre room as he reaches out a shaking hand and carefully brushes a strand of dark hair from across her eyes.

He bows his head, his eyes flickering shut.

"I'm sorry." He whispers softly. "I'm so sorry, Belle."

He stays still for a few more minutes, head bowed, lips moving silently as if praying, and, as we watch, Cashmere's hand tightens in mine.

On screen, the boy from 11 lifts his head and stares in the direction the Careers just disappeared in. His jaw clenches, his shoulders tense and _raw_ fury flares in his eyes.

I get the feeling that at some point, the Careers are going to be in a lot of trouble.

* * *

...

* * *

The Careers continue through the forest eastwards towards the dam. Ash and Seela keep their eyes peeled for a trail, but we can all see they're heading in completely the wrong direction. By the time they set up camp in the early hours of the morning, there are no other tributes within at least two miles of them.

It's worrying, to say the least.

Reuben gets a fire going and then Ethan and Jasmine take the first watch whilst the others settle into their sleeping bags. As they sit propped up against the trees next to each other, Ethan starts absentmindedly knotting up a length of rope from his rucksack into a small net. Jasmine is intrigued and he ends up teaching her a few different kinds of knots.

Nothing else is going on in the arena. The rest of the tributes are sleeping and no other alliances have been formed. The Capitol audiences would say it was boring. Us mentors would call it heaven. Once the Games have begun, it's very difficult for us to get any rest. Even with the two mentors, it's hard. You don't want to go down to the rooms below and properly go to sleep because the action can start at any time in the arena. I tend to stay in the centre room, snatching a little sleep during the slower moments in the arena. I often wonder how Haymitch manages on his own.

Leaving my ear piece in, I let my head droop onto my desk. Mags is already asleep on the sofa behind me, Cashmere next to her, her blonde head resting on the older woman's shoulder.

"And so you hold this bit like this." Ethan's voice buzzes in my ear. "And then you loop that bit so it crosses over..."

"Uh huh." Jasmine sounds confused.

"And then you pull this part through here..."

"Mmm."

"And then let go here and grab this bit, looping it round and pulling the end through here..."

God, I'm tired. And Annie's asleep. Ethan's on guard. I can trust him. Nothing will happen. Perhaps if I just rest my eyes for a few minutes...

I awaken with a start.

"I'm sorry!" A sob. "Belle. No!"

I lift my head, blinking rapidly as I peer at the digital clock in the corner of my screen. Nearly six o'clock. Nearly _two hours_ after the Careers set up camp. I only meant to sleep for ten minutes...

I squint at the screen, wiping a hand across my mouth and finding, much to my embarrassment, that I was dribbling. A quick glance around lets me know no one saw me. Cashmere and Mags are still asleep on the sofa and for some reason, Brutus is now slumped on the floor beside them, snoring loudly.

I suddenly remember it was a tearful, desperate voice that woke me up and turn back to the screen.

Annie is tossing and turning in her sleeping bag, tears trickling down her cheeks, her chest heaving with quiet sobs. She's asleep though.

Dammit, the nightmares have started already.

Ethan hauls himself across the camp site and kneels over her.

"No, Belle." Annie whispers, her voice raspy with tears and sleep. "I'm sorry."

Ethan gives her a shake.

"Annie." He says urgently. "Wake up."

She swats him away, still mumbling, and he takes her arms, holding her still.

"Annie." He says again. "Annie, wake up."

And then with one last shuddering gasp, her eyes open and she stares up at him. For a moment, it looks like she doesn't know who he is.

"Annie." He whispers. "You were crying."

She looks a bit befuddled, her hand creeping up to touch her damp cheeks.

"Oh." She mumbles.

"Nightmare?" He asks and she nods.

"Yeah."

I press my hands into my eyes. Nightmares never look good, especially on the first night.

"Was it Belle?" Ethan asks on screen.

A pause.

"Yeah."

Ethan sighs.

"It wasn't your fault, you know."

"I know."

"You were apologising for it." He tells her.

As I lift my gaze to the screen again, Annie props herself up on her elbows, chewing on her lip.

"I was talking?"

"Yeah." Worry flashes across her face and he shakes his head. "No, no one else heard... well, Jasmine did, but she gets it, don't worry."

Annie pulls herself into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes tiredly as Jasmine shoots her a reassuring smile and a nod.

"Oh okay." Annie says, stretching her shoulders. "Well, thanks for waking me."

Ethan grins.

"It's your turn on watch now, anyway."

Her nose wrinkles up.

"Oh. What time is it?"

"About four. You'll probably be on watch until we all get up now." He pauses a second, eyeing her shadowed eyes and tired expression. "Though if you need some more sleep, wake me up and I'll take over."

"Nah." She shakes her head, smiling at him as she pulls herself out of her sleeping bag. "I'll be fine, but thanks anyway."

Whilst Annie is sorting herself out, Jasmine crawls over to where Reuben is curled up in his sleeping bag and flicks his forehead.

"Oi you." She hisses. "Your turn to watch."

Reuben mumbles something, swatting her away, before rolling over and settling back down. Jasmine rolls her eyes.

It takes a good few minutes and a squirt of cold water to the face to eventually rouse Reuben from his deep sleep. As he sits up with a surprised snort, both girls fall about laughing.

A smile traces my lips. It's nice to hear Annie laugh again.

As I watch them giggling helplessly on screen, Brutus heaves himself into the seat next to me.

"What's going on?" He asks with a wide yawn.

"Jasmine and Annie just tried to drown Reuben." I tell him and he grins.

"Your girl's a one, ain't she?"

I give him a look.

"She's not _my_ girl."

He lets out a guffaw.

"I actually meant that she's your tribute," He says with a grin. "But it does intrigue me that your mind automatically shifts in that direction..."

I roll my eyes, sending a fist into his arm.

"Ah shut up."

He chuckles again, but I ignore him, turning to look back at the screens. Annie and Reuben are now settled down against the trees, crunching on chocolate chip cookies.

Brutus eyes them hungrily.

"God, I'm starving." He says. "Fancy a pizza?"

* * *

...

* * *

I don't fall asleep again. Dosed up on energy drinks, I let Mags sleep a little while longer, waking her up only when the sun starts to rise at about seven o'clock. Annie and Reuben have been on watch a little under three hours but the rest of the Careers will be waking soon and then they'll all move on.

Annie seems to get on well with Reuben. They chat about district 4 and 7 and I see Annie's eyes light up at his vivid descriptions of his home district. The Capitol will adore their conversation – neither of them stray into dodgy territory – but I know the Gamemakers will edit it all out in the few minutes before it's aired in the districts.

Annie's willingness to get to know the other tributes worries me though. I told her making friends was dangerous, that it made it all more difficult, but she's the kind of person to let her heart get involved. I know, I've been there. Every year for the past five years. Every kid who's name you know, who's smile you've seen, their death is like a little weight in your chest.

I rest my head on my hand, watching as Annie laughs at something Reuben just said, her head tilting back against the tree, her eyes bright.

And then the forest is suddenly alive with the sound of panicked squawking and beating wings and hundreds and _hundreds_ of birds rise up from the trees, soaring upwards into the sky.

I sit upright, my eyes flashing across the various cameras... and then my heart drops.

Because a huge dark cloud has formed in the sky just above the dam and thick heavy rain is pouring to the ground. Except it's not ordinary rain. As it falls, it burns through the trees and bushes, the leaves and branches crumbling and folding in on themselves like burnt paper. Steam rises from the scorched, blackened forest.

Acid. The Gamemakers are pouring _acid_ out of the sky.

Something like this had to happen. One death during the first night isn't _exciting_ enough.

Annie and Reuben are already on their feet, staring at the burning forest in alarm. I see the moment Annie realises exactly what it is.

"Move!" She cries, spinning round on Reuben. "We've got to move. Now!"

He blinks stupidly at her.

"What?"

"The rain!" She yells, grabbing her rucksack and throwing it over her shoulders. "Its acidic!"

Reuben's eyes widen and then he's off, racing over to grab Jasmine's shoulders and shake her hard.

"Get up!" He bellows. "Everyone get up now!"

Ash sits up, raking a hand through his hair.

"What's going on?" He mumbles, his eyes still shut. Annie seizes his rucksack and lobs it as his chest.

"Move!" She shouts. "We've got to get out of here."

Thank goodness Ethan has his wits about him. He's on his feet in half a second, ready to go. Reuben grabs Preese by the scruff of his neck and drags him to his feet, sending him running with a slap to the back. Seela and Ash, not people to waste time helping others, take off too.

"The cornucopia!" Preese yells over his shoulder. "We've got to get back to the cornucopia!"

Ethan and Reuben are already sprinting after the others, but Jasmine is still stumbling around a bit, looking dazedly for her rucksack.

"Run Jasmine!" Cashmere appears next to me, slamming her hands on the desk. "Stop faffing and run!"

Annie grabs her backpack and thrusts it into her hand, giving her a shove.

"Run!"

Thankfully, Jasmine starts running then and Annie follows. Just in time too, the rain burns through their camp site seconds after they left it. Annie flashes through the forest, her braid flying out behind her, leaping over rocks and branches like a deer. She overtakes Jasmine, shouting for her to hurry the hell up over her shoulder.

Jasmine races after her but then her foot catches and she's pitched forward, hitting the ground with a cry of pain.

"No!" Cashmere gasps, her hands flying to her mouth.

I watch with growing horror as Annie slows and falters, turning back and spotting Jasmine.

"Jasmine!" She yells. "Come on!"

Jasmine tries to pull herself to her feet but she can't. I can't work out whether it's the weight of her rucksack or if she's hurt herself.

"My ankle!" She cries. "I can't move it!"

Behind her, the trees begin to blister, blackening and burning and sinking into the ground as steam permeates the air around them.

Annie stares at her, indecision flickering across her face. But then, just as it did last night, the indecision is replaced by a steely determination and I know. I just know.

"Don't you dare!" I shoot to my feet. "Don't you _dare!"_

And then Annie takes off, back towards Jasmine, back towards the acid rain.

* * *

...

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Please review xx_


	8. Nothing I Can Do

_Well, here we are again. Me apologising for such a long wait... I am truly sorry, my dears, it's been such a hectic few weeks. Mostly good hectic, a little bit of the bad stuff, but I'm doing fine. Back on course with this story and hopefully, the sequel once this baby is done and dusted. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope it makes up for the wait (It's over 5000 words. It had better!)._

_Anyway, thank you for being so patient with me and thank you for reading and reviewing. Your lovely reviews always manage to brighten up my day!_

_xoxo_

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT - NOTHING I CAN DO**

* * *

"No!" I cry. "No, no no!"

Mags is on her feet next to me too, her hands across her mouth watching as, on screen, the acid rain closes in on Jasmine. Annie's not going to make it back to the girl before the rain hits. _Turn around_, I plead silently. _Turn the hell around._

But of course she doesn't. She sprints through the undergrowth, her jaw locked in determination, her eyes flashing. Fear and anger and disbelief pulses through me. God-dammit, she's going to get herself killed!

I let out a fierce growl, slamming my fist on the desk.

"Stupid girl."

Cashmere lets out a little squeak as in the arena, the acid rain reaches Jasmine. The girl's screams echo through our ear pieces and I almost flinch. _Almost_. I'm too furious and too crazed with worry to do anything but stare in horror at my own girl tribute, who, instead of turning tail and legging it, actually _speeds up_, running straight into the pouring rain.

"Stupid _stupid_ girl." I hiss.

On screen, Annie doubles over, bringing her mega sized rucksack up over her head to protect her from the acid. Thank god she was stuck with that enormous thing. It's probably the only thing stopping her from sizzling like a pancake right now.

"Jasmine!" She yells, reaching the slumped form of her fallen ally. "Get up!" Jasmine doesn't move. Annie reaches out an arm – her jacket simmers as the rain hits it – and catches hold of Jasmine, hauling her roughly upright. She drags Jasmine under her huge rucksack – again, thank _god_ – and starts running, pulling the younger girl along with her, their boots pounding on the steaming ground.

They race through the forest trying to outpace the rain, but I can tell Jasmine is struggling and giving Annie a hard time of it. The second time the younger girl slips and Annie slows to yank her upright, she turns her head at the just the wrong angle, her backpack slipping over a little far, and the rain slashes across her face. For a horrible moment, I think it hit her in the eyes, but then she gives her head a little shake, grimacing in pain, and increases her pace, much of her right her cheek beginning to blister.

Eventually though, they make it out of the rain. I can't help but let out a little breath even though I know they're not safe yet. The rain is still chasing them relentlessly through the forest, burning up everything in its path; plants and trees and the odd animal melting to the ground, dissolving like ashes.

Annie manages to keep up her pace, but I see Jasmine beginning to flag. She obviously hurt her ankle when she fell and she keeps going over on it.

"Come on, Jasmine," Cashmere whispers from next to me. "You're not out of the woods yet."

But then the worst happens. Jasmine falls again – unfortunately at the top of a slope – toppling forwards and dragging Annie with her.

Gloss – who up to now has remained silent behind me – swears loudly as the two girls roll over and over down the hill, smashing through undergrowth and flattening bushes beneath them. They come to a stop at the bottom and much to my chagrin, neither make any move towards getting up and running again.

Annie lies there on her back, her eyes a little glazed, her chest rising and falling far too quickly.

"Get up!" I growl. "For goodness sake girl, get your backside off the ground and get the hell out of there."

"Why aren't they moving?" Cashmere's voice is breathy with panic.

"That fall had to hurt." Gloss points out. "And Jasmine is already injured from the rain." He's not as calm as he sounds though; he's jigging up and down restlessly behind us.

I let out another growl.

"Well it's gonna hurt a whole lot more if they don't make a move soon." I say, watching – half angrily, half anxiously – as Annie struggles to catch her breath and the rain begins to gain on them. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_ girl. If she hadn't gone back for Jasmine she'd be safe by now. A quick glance at the other screens lets me know that the others are way ahead of the rain, on course for the cornucopia. Even the other tributes across the arena who are running from the gamemakers onslaught are well out of its way. Annie and Jasmine are the only ones it looks set to hit. As a result, I'm sure everyone across the whole of Panem is watching this, watching my tribute just lie there, waiting to die.

Move, I think desperately. _Move!_

Eventually, though, after what seems like an eternity, Annie seems to get her act together. She rolls over, her eyes darting back up the slope. Panic registers in her expression as she realises the bushes lining the top of the incline are beginning to corrode, but then I see her gaze settle on the piles of rocks lining the bottom. I spot the rocky overhang and the space underneath at the exactly same moment she does.

_Yes. Go for that._

"Jasmine!" She yells, scrambling to her feet. "Jasmine, we have to move!"

_No!_ I cry in my head._ Leave the girl!_

Cashmere shoots me a furious glare and I realise I said that out loud. I grimace at her because I didn't really mean it; I don't really want the perky girl with the blonde hair and pretty violet eyes to die. It's just there's another girl – with dark brown hair and even prettier green eyes – that I'm not willing to sacrifice for her.

"Sorry." I say, as Annie does the opposite to what I wanted her to do anyway, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl's torso and dragging her backwards across the grass towards the rocks.

"Jasmine, stop it." Annie says breathlessly when the younger girl tries to struggle. Jasmine answers with a pained cry, but ignoring her and being surprisingly ruthless, Annie rolls her into position and shoves her firmly beneath the rocks. The space is small, though, and since Jasmine is being especially unhelpful – even if she can't help it – it takes Annie far longer than I deem safe.

The rain, meanwhile, is gaining on them, pounding down the slope, edging nearer and nearer.

I realise Annie has about four seconds to get herself under the rocks too.

"Move." I command. "Move _now_."

And then, with one last frantic glance towards the burning forest, Annie throws herself beneath the rocks, her foot disappearing from view a fraction of a second before the downpour hits.

The rain belts down onto the rocks, pouring down the overhang and splashing to the ground beside the tiny cave. I strain my eyes at the screens – terrified the corrosive rain is running into the crevice and burning Annie to death whilst she lies there – but the cameras aren't going any closer and there are apparently none beneath the rocks. Annie and Jasmine have disappeared completely from view.

I keep my eyes on Annie's vital signs. Her heart beat is steady – if a little fast – and since there's been no cannon and her number is still blinking on my map, I know for certain she's still alive.

But then, so is Jasmine. And Jasmine, I know for a fact, is badly injured.

It seems like hours – although by rights, is probably only a few minutes – before the rain moves on, leaving the rocks and the two girls behind. The forest – a blackened mush of dead plants and animals – is eerily silent and there are no signs of life from beneath the rocks either.

The centre room too is silent as we all wait for the girls to move. As much as we want our own kids to win, watching the others die is never particularly pleasant. I'm sure our sponsors too are waiting for confirmation that their money hasn't been wasted.

I stare at the screens, willing Annie to make a move.

But still, no one emerges from the rocks.

My breath hisses through my teeth as Cashmere grabs my arm, her nails sinking into my skin.

"Why aren't they moving?" She asks frantically. "What's wrong with them?"

"I don't know." I breathe, my eyes still fixed on the screen.

"They're alive anyhow." Mags says slowly.

"Give them a minute." Gloss says rationally. "I'm sure they just need to catch their breath."

On the other screens, I see the other Careers reach the central clearing. They head straight for the metal cornucopia, but there's really no need, because as far as I can tell, the rain has stopped now, petering out not long after passing over Annie and Jasmine.

For a second, I'm confused as to what the Gamemakers were hoping to accomplish – none of the tributes have been killed by the rain – but then I see. Rummaging through the crates left over at the cornucopia, is the kid from district 11; the boy with caramel coloured skin and revenge in his eyes.

The gamemakers were hoping for a confrontation. One death during the first night just isn't _good_ enough for the Capitol audience.

_Damn_. Ethan is heading straight for him.

Although I'm desperate to see Annie emerge from her hidey hole, I also know Ethan has to be a priority too, and right now, the kid from 11 has a satchel full of knives and, if Annie is to be believed, an aim deadly enough to hit any of the five Careers heading straight for him. I ask Mags to keep an eye on Annie and tune in my headset to the cornucopia clearing, quickly realising the Careers have no idea the kid from 11 is there; he's obscured by a crate.

"Crap." I mutter as 11 pulls a knife from his satchel. Ethan and others are well in his range now. The kid probably has one shot before the Careers take up the chase – Ash, Ethan and Reuben are all adept with long range weapons after all – but he could aim it at any one of them, Ethan included. And considering Ethan is the Career closest to him, that's a very real possibility right now.

I grimace.

"Crappidy crap crap crap."

But then the kid from 11 leaps to his feet – a sheet of tarpaulin the Careers discarded in disgust under his arm, his rucksack and his new satchel of knives over his shoulder – and takes off in the opposite direction.

"Tribute!" Ash yells, heading off in pursuit, already yanking his sword from his belt. Seela sprints after him, her own war cry echoing around the clearing. The others go to follow, but then Ethan glances around and I see him realise Annie's missing, realise she's not right behind him.

He mutters a curse.

Reuben stops and turns back to him.

"What?" And then he realises too. Anxiety flickers across his face. "Where are Annie and Jasmine?"

"I don't know." Ethan's eyes are frantic. "Annie was right behind me..." He swears again. "Have there been any cannons?"

"I didn't hear..." Reuben begins hesitantly.

By now Preese is back with the other boys.

"Maybe they found shelter?" He offers, hopefully. No one replies and all three of them scan the tree line, apparently hoping the two girls will just appear miraculously from the undergrowth.

Ethan lets out a breath.

"I'm going back." He decides.

"What about Ash and Seela?" Preese asks. Ethan's eyes harden.

"They can handle district 11 on their own." He says. "I'll go back," He continues authoritatively. "To see if I can find them. You two stay here and sort out some medical supplies."

"Medical supplies?" Preese echoes. "You don't think...?"

"I don't know." Ethan interrupts roughly. "But it won't hurt to be prepared." He glances between the two other boys. "I'll be back soon."

And then he takes off at a sprint, back the way they came, towards the burnt end of the arena and the two girls. Reuben and Preese snap to action – sorting through their rucksacks, spreading out blankets on the ground – in a way that makes me think Ethan would have made a very good leader of the Career Pack if only he'd challenged Ash for it. He's the kind of person people listen to and obey.

As Sneaky Eyes races off in a westerly direction, closely followed by Ash and Seela, and Ethan runs the opposite way, I feel it's safe to shift my attention back to the rock Annie is still hiding under. It feels like she's been under there, hidden from view, forever, but in reality it can't be more than five minutes or so.

"She's still not out yet?" I ask Mags, squinting at the screen for signs of life.

"Give her another minute or so." She tells me wisely. "She probably feels safe under there."

I nod. Mags is probably right. I can imagine Annie preferring to hide than rejoin the Careers. If it wasn't for Ethan and poor injured Jasmine, I have an inkling she'd take off in the opposite direction and leave them behind.

I fold my arms across my chest.

That's all very well, but she can't stay under there forever. The Gamemakers will send a mutt after her or something; they're not known for their patience.

Just as I'm thinking this, a flicker of movement catches my eye and then Annie is wriggling cautiously out from underneath the rock. As her face comes into view, one of the cameras goes in for a close up and I get a proper look at the burns on her face.

Damn. It's not pretty.

She scrabbles around a little, apparently firmly wedged beneath the rock, but eventually manages to pull herself free, heaving herself onto her hands and knees. She flinches as her palms meet the scorched and still steaming grass and jerks upwards, staggering clumsily to her feet. She glances around like a furtive woodland animal – her eyes widen briefly at the burnt and blackened state the gamemakers have left the forest in – but then she seems to remember her younger ally, still crammed underneath the rocks.

Next to me, Cashmere wrings her hands worriedly, obviously anxious for her best chance at victory. Like her, I'm hoping Jasmine isn't too badly hurt – I can't help but like the girl – although I'm not hugely optimistic. From what I saw, she suffered far more burns than Annie.

Crouching down in the front of the rock, Annie spends a few minutes trying – and failing – to heave Jasmine out from underneath it. Eventually, she tucks a thick blanket beneath her and half drags, half rolls her out into the open.

Slightly out of breath from the struggle, she collapses on her knees next to Jasmine and leans forward to inspect the younger girl's wounds.

Her fingers push through the shredded fabric of Jasmine's coat, revealing skin – half of it black and hardened, the other half red and blistering – muscle, and at one really badly burnt section of her spine, the tiniest hint of bone.

Annie and I wince at the exact same moment.

From behind me, Gloss swears again – very loudly and very colourfully – before turning on his heel and stalking back to district 1's booth. No doubt checking sponsor funds and calculating how much he'll need to heal an injury like _that_. Cashmere, meanwhile, seems frozen where she is.

Taking her hand, I lead her gently over to the sofa and sit her down. Mags immediately shifts over into the chair I've just vacated and I see her examining our own sponsorship funds.

"Want a drink?" I ask Cashmere, already pouring her one. She takes it silently, her eyes still glued to the screen, where Annie – looking vaguely nauseous – is now dripping water onto Jasmine's poor burnt back. The younger girl flinches and so does Cashmere.

"It'll be fine." Annie says on screen, sounding reasonably confident despite how much she looks like she wants to vomit. "Your sponsors might send some medicine..."

"Annie!" Ethan's voice, echoing through the forest, makes her jump. "Annie!"

"Ethan?!" She answers, glancing around. "Ethan! We're over here!"

He crashes through the bushes towards them, worry in his eyes, his harpoon clenched defensively in one hand and Annie's spear in the other. On spotting Annie and Jasmine, a strange mix of relief and dread passes across his face and then he starts off at a jog towards them. As he covers the last little bit between them , Cashmere closes her eyes.

"We can't afford to help her." She says flatly. "We haven't got enough money."

"Maybe Gloss can work it out..." I offer hesitantly.

"No." She cuts me off. "We hardly have any sponsors. And that kind of medicine is expensive." My lips twist downwards. Jasmine is going to die if she doesn't get something for her burns.

But then again... it's not my problem. If it were Annie on the floor it would be different, but it's not. Annie is fine.

Jasmine is competition. Her death would mean one less tribute. Her death would mean one of my kids is closer to coming home again. Her death would be a _good_ thing.

One glance at Annie's face, though, and all of my inner arguments suddenly seem callous and so incredibly _wrong_.

"Are you alright?" Ethan asks Annie on screen, slowing to a halt beside her. She nods, turning from him a little to look down at Jasmine.

"Yeah." Her voice is subdued. Ethan suddenly looks hesitant, his eyes raking over their young ally's burns.

"She's not... dead, is she?"

Jasmine lifts her head and goes for a vague smile. It looks a lot more like a grimace.

"No." Annie says. "But her back's pretty bad."

Dropping the bags and weapons to the floor, Ethan crouches beside Jasmine, wincing as his closer inspection reveals a lot more exposed muscle than skin.

"We'll get you sorted when we get back to the cornucopia, eh?" He tells her softly, reaching out to stroke her singed hair. "Is it okay if I pick you up?"

Jasmine mumbles her consent and then Ethan picks her up, pulling her into his chest, his arm wrapped awkwardly around her shoulders in an attempt to avoid causing her back any more pain. Jasmine – bless her heart – refuses to cry openly, settling instead for the occasional sniffle.

Ethan murmurs something vaguely reassuring, but then he glances up towards Annie.

"Are you alright to carry the bags?" He asks. Annie nods, but he's suddenly frowning, his blonde eyebrows drawing together. Annie's own eyebrows furrow confusedly.

"What?"

"Your face. It's burnt."

Her hand snaps to her cheek.

"Badly?"

Ethan hesitates. The skin of her right cheek is flaming red and blistering. The camera gives us a very helpful close up and I let out a little frustrated noise as I realise it's the kind of wound that'll get infected and fester.

"No." Ethan lies eventually. "But it looks a bit sore." He suddenly spots the shredded sleeve of her jacket. "Is your arm bad?"

Annie looks down and blanches. I mutter a bad word as I remember her sticking her arm out into the rain like a fool to grab Jasmine.

"Nah." She says, quite obviously lying. "It's alright. Stings a bit though."

Ethan accepts this with only a sceptical narrowing of his eyes, before gesturing westwards with his head.

"Let's go, then."

They set off through the burnt forest, Jasmine half unconscious in Ethan's arms, Annie lagging a little behind with both the rucksacks – luckily hers escaped being destroyed completely because of it's thick canvas cover – and the two weapons.

"I take it you made it to the cornucopia?" She asks suddenly.

"We didn't have to." Ethan replies. "We reached the clearing and realised the rain stopped a while back."

Annie's nose wrinkles.

"Did you find what it was the Gamemakers wanted us back there for?"

"District 11." Ethan's lips purse. "That guy you nicknamed Sneaky Eyes? He was there, picking over the stuff we left. Ash and Seela went after him."

Annie tugs her rucksack more securely onto her shoulder, struggling a little to keep up with Ethan.

"Did he get anything?" She asks.

"Some tarpaulin, a few knives I think, didn't really see."

Annie's lips part in dismay.

"Knives?"

"Yeah." He shoots her a frown. "What's wrong?"

"That's what he got his 9 for." She tells him. "I saw him throw a knife during training... didn't I tell you?"

Beside me on the sofa, Cashmere makes a surprised noise. I guess it wasn't common knowledge Sneaky Eyes – I decide to adopt Annie's nickname for him, it suits him – was so skilled with knives.

Ethan didn't know either, though, if his expression is anything to go by. He is silent for a few moments, considering this revelation.

"If we're lucky," He says darkly. "He'll take out Ash or Seela so we don't have to."

Gloss, reappearing behind me, lets out a humourless laugh.

"Smart kid, your Ethan." He says, resting both hands on his sister's shoulders and kneading gently. "Though come to think of it," He adds absentmindedly. "Your girl's pretty smart too."

I accept his compliments with a nod, watching as, on screen, Ethan quickens his pace, obviously eager to return to the cornucopia, and Annie stumbles after him. I notice her tuck her injured arm surreptitiously into her jacket, opting to carry both the harpoon and spear in her other hand.

_Damn it_, I think with no small amount of frustration. She burnt her right hand. Her _throwing_ hand. She was never a prodigy with her spear, but she could at least defend herself. Now? Now, I'm guessing she'll have a bit more trouble doing so. And what if her hand gets infected? What will she do then?

"How far is the cornucopia?" She asks breathlessly on screen as the trees around her begin to grow greener.

"About half a mile." Ethan estimates accurately. "You made it quite far with Jasmine, actually."

Annie groans theatrically and despite myself, the corner of my mouth twitches upwards.

"Half a mile?" She echoes. Ethan grins at her.

"Yeah," He confirms cheerfully. "Now get a move on, we're meeting everyone back at the cornucopia."

Annie heaves a great big sigh, before shifting the weight of the rucksacks and trudging dolefully after him. I lean back against the sofa, feeling a lot of the tension leave my body. Annie's not dead. Injured, but that's probably fixable.

Annie's not _dead_.

"Not so pretty with a great bit ugly burn across her face, is she?" Brutus – absent from our booth since before the acid rain began – leans over my shoulder, grinning devilishly.

I scowl at him.

"She's a knock-out, Brutus." I snap. "Even _with_ the burns."

He chuckles.

"You would say that, wouldn't you?"

I don't even dignify that with a response, but that only makes him laugh again.

"She don't even come close to my girl." He taunts.

I think of Seela with her dark intensity and pouty lips. Attractive? Yes. Sexy? Definitely. But endearing? Never in a million years.

"_Seela_," I declare. "Is insane." Brutus guffaws.

"Can't argue with that, man." He says, resting his elbows on the back of the sofa and nudging me teasingly. "Cresta ain't half bad, Odair, I'll admit that. Not a patch on Seela, of course, but still."

I fix him a glare.

"Don't you have something better to do?"

"Nah." He says. "Ash and Seela lost that brat from district 11. Swung up into a tree and just disappeared. Like a flippin' monkey, he was."

I smirk.

"I'll bet Seela is pleased."

"Pissed is the word I'd use." He says matter of factly. "Last time I checked, she was blaming Ash."

I watch on one of the screens as the pair from district 2 stalk back towards the cornucopia, weapons still in hand, wearing identical expressions of infuriation. Out of idle curiosity and because I'm fairly confident Annie and Ethan are okay for the time being, I tune into their conversation.

"It was all your fault." Seela is hissing. "I'm faster than you -" Ash answers this with a snort "- I could have caught him if you hadn't got in my way."

"What were you going to do?" Ash steams. "Follow him up the tree?"

"Yes!" She snaps. He makes a disbelieving noise.

"Like hell you were. You know you can't climb."

Seela's dark eyes blaze.

"I _can_ climb!" She insists. I smirk again. I bet it's killing her to have her weaknesses pointed out on national television. "I'm just not as fast as that runt from 11."

Ash snorts again and storms ahead, hacking through any poor unsuspecting branch that dares get in his way. Seela follows after a moment, her black eyes narrowed, her mouth scrunched up so tightly it looks like a cat's arse.

I shoot Brutus a satisfied smile.

"Not so hot now, eh Brutus?"

He grins good naturedly, smacking me lightly across the back of my head.

"You're far too cocky for your own good, Odair." He scolds, wagging a finger in front of my face, before glancing up to meet Mags' amused gaze. "Mags," He seeks her assistance. "Tell him."

Her lips curl up in a wide smile. Despite Brutus's over sized ego and bluster, I think she's got a bit of a soft spot for him. Her soft spot for me, though, is a lot bigger.

"Finnick's right." She says teasingly. "Your girl's got a face like a prune."

I burst out laughing at that, soon joined by Brutus. Even Cashmere – still sitting next to me and suddenly looking very tired – cracks a smile.

My eyes drift back to the screen as Seela manages to catch up with her district partner, reaching out to grab his arm and pull him to a halt.

"Hang on a minute." She says. "I want to talk to you."

He growls at her.

"'Bout what?"

She arches a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"The district 4s."

I go rigid in my seat. Brutus promptly stops laughing. Mag's lips thin.

In the arena, Ash eyes his ally suspiciously.

"What about them?"

"About how to get _rid_ of them, idiot." Seela replies scathingly. "They're our biggest threat."

Ash bristles.

"What about Reuben? And the 1s?"

Seela waves a dismissive hand.

"There's only one of the Reuben." She says airily. "He wouldn't dare try and fight the both of us. And the 1s?" She lets out a derisive laugh. "The 1s aren't worth worrying about."

Beside me, Cashmere's head drops and Gloss's hands tighten on her shoulders.

"Alright then." Ash concedes. "Marborough is our biggest threat. But I don't see how Cresta could ever..."

"She got an 8." Seela reminds him tautly. Ash scowls. _Ha_, I think. Only one less that you.

"Yeah," He begins. "But..."

"And somehow," Seela interrupts, her voice dipping bitterly. "She's got Ethan wrapped around her little finger." She puts on a stupid high pitched voice that I'm guessing is meant to be Ethan. "Are you alright, Annie?" She mimics. "Are you _okay_? Don't strain yourself, sweetheart. Here, let _me_ do that for you." Her voice hardens and sets like stone. "It's _sickening_."

Ash's lips press together as he ponders this.

"She's pretty." He says eventually. Seela's eyes glitter.

"Not _you_ too." She hisses. Ash draws himself up to his full height, his lips curling up into a sneer.

"No." He says. "But you can't deny it. It's why Ethan and Reuben dote on her like fools." His tone becomes lofty. "_I'm_ not that stupid."

Seela grits her teeth, her mouth twisting downwards in a very unattractive manner.

"I can't _wait_ to kill her." She spits.

I let out a hiss. Jealous cow.

Ash meanwhile leans back against a tree, folding his arms and watching Seela expectantly.

"So." He says. "What's the plan?"

Seela's lips purse.

"We have to take out Ethan together." She says. "And quickly too." Ash goes to complain, but she shoots him a withering glare and he subsides without a word. "Ethan, we kill quickly. Annie..." And here, she gives Ash the most terrifying smirk I've ever seen. "Not so much."

My hands clench into fists. _Over my dead body._

Ash chuckles wolfishly.

"I like the sound of that." He whistles.

Seela's answering grin is predatory.

"We'll set it up so Ethan is on watch with me." Her explanation of the plan is sharp and succinct. She's obviously been working it out for a while. "You'll pretend to go off to pee and then we'll ambush him. He won't be expecting it. It'll be easy."

"How do we stop the others from getting involved?" Ash asks. "What if Reuben..."

"Like I said." She interrupts. "He's smart enough to know not to take on the both of us. He'll run."

"And the 1s?"

"Hopefully dead by then." Seela says casually. "If not, well, they'll run too. Who'd stick around?"

"What if Cresta runs?"

Seela hums softly.

"Makes it all the more exciting, doesn't it?"

Ash is practically salivating at the thought.

"So we chase after her..." He says. "And when we catch her?"

"We kill her." Seela says silkily. "And we'll take our sweet time with too."

There's a silence and I see Ash imagining it. I swear I can see it in his mind. Or maybe it's just in my mind. God, I can see it so clearly. The 2s chasing Annie through the forest, tackling her to the ground, holding her down... Seela's knife and her extraordinary carving skills.

It'll be Mia all over again, but a thousand times worse.

"When do we do it?" Ash asks. "Tonight?"

"No." Seela replies. "It's too early. Ethan's useful to us for the time being."

"So when?" Ash is impatient.

A smirk creeps across her face.

"Tomorrow night. We'll do it tomorrow night."

Nausea rises in my throat.

Ethan's going to die. Annie's going to die.

_Annie _is going to _die_.

I'm furious. God, I'm seething. I think I might be shaking I'm so damned angry.

On screen, the district 2s – exchanging one last satisfied smile – head on through the forest, west towards the cornucopia. From the east, Annie and Ethan are now a few minutes away from the central clearing. They have no idea. Not a single _clue_.

"Finnick?" Mags inquires tentatively.

It's then that I realise I'm on my feet, back ramrod straight, fists clenched, glaring at the screen.

"They're animals." I manage to growl through gritted teeth. "God-damn savages."

"I'm sorry man," Brutus says, moving round the sofa towards me. "But I can't stop them, you know that." He rests his hand on my shoulder, but I jerk away, snarling at him like a dog.

"Keep the hell away from me."

Brutus's hands lift, fingers splayed.

"Finnick, man..."

"Get back to your own booth." I spit furiously. "I don't want to hear it."

I half expect him to go for me – Brutus's temper is notorious – but he just nods, his lips pursed, his craggy face settled into something resembling sympathy, before walking off and disappearing behind the divider into his own booth.

In the corner of my eye, I see Cashmere go to say something, but I hold up my hand.

"Don't." I warn her. "Just don't."

There's a silence in our booth, silence in the whole room. All the other mentors heard Ash and Seela. They all heard me, all heard me explode and turn on Brutus like it's actually _his_ fault. They watch me, their expressions a mixture of confusion, sympathy, and even in some cases, disapproval. Because no matter what goes on in that arena, you don't blame the mentor. It's just not done.

I stand there, feeling all eyes on me, shame burning beneath my skin. I know I have no right to be angry with Brutus. It's not his fault. He's as helpless to stop Ash and Seela as I am to protect Annie and Ethan when the time comes. God, I can't even _warn_ them, because it's against the rules.

I know it's not Brutus I should be angry with. I know it's probably not even Ash and _Seela_ I should be angry with. But I can't help it. I have to be angry with them, I have to blame them, because what good does it do to be angry with the one who is truly behind all of this? Nothing. That's what. President Snow is untouchable and no matter how much I hate him, nothing will ever change.

I feel my eyes flicker shut; frustration, helplessness and fury knotting up inside my chest, so tightly, so painfully, I can't even breathe.

Annie Cresta is going to die a horrible death in just over a day and a half's time.

And there's nothing I can do.

* * *

...

* * *

_Gah! Angry and anxious Finnick is just so fun to write! I hope you enjoyed him here as much as I did ;) If there are any mistakes or something that doesn't work, I apologise, let me know and I'll fix them._

_Anyway, thanks for reading and I'd love it if you left a review for me! Seriously, guys, they make me ridiculously happy._


	9. Hearts Over Heads

_It's been a long time hasn't it? Oh dear, I am sorry, and after I promised great things too! This chapter has been in the works a long time partly because I am now looking for a job (!) which takes up a horrendous amount of time and is so soul destroying, it kills all creative thoughts, and __partly because I find getting in Finnick's head a lot harder than Annie's for some reason. Still, it is now completed and I'm hoping I get some lovely motivational reviews for this (hint hint) so the next chapter won't take as long to write!_

_Anyway, enough whining and on with the story. Enjoy! x_

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE - HEARTS OVER HEADS**

* * *

It takes a few minutes for the casual buzz of conversation to return after my outburst. Cashmere discreetly disappears and I slink into the seat next to Mags, too ashamed, too anxious to say anything or even meet her gaze. She doesn't try to initiate conversation, but her hand slips out to rest gently on my clenched fist.

I swallow, feeling a dense, heavy mist of defeat settle in my chest. Ash and Seela will take out my tributes, first Ethan and then Annie, and that'll be the end of it. No winner for district 4 this year. There's always next year. Not the end of the world, right?

Right?

I slump back into my seat, my hand lifting to rub wearily across my forehead. If I lose another two kids - if I have to go back home in that train and face two grieving families one more time – I think I might go insane.

I watch silently as my two tributes near the cornucopia clearing. Jasmine is still clutched tightly in Ethan's arms and Annie lags a little behind the pair, her injured arm still tucked inside her jacket. She looks a little pale, but her head is up and she's making a determined effort to keep up with Ethan, even under the weight of both their rucksacks.

As they break the tree line, Reuben and Preese leap to their feet, the younger boy flying off towards them, horror in his eyes.

"Jasmine!" He cries. "Oh hell, _Jasmine_!"

"Hey, hey." Ethan says in a low voice. "We're gonna keep calm for her, right?"

As Ethan jogs the last little bit to where Reuben has already spread out a blanket, Preese buzzing around him like an anxious bee, Mags lets out a little worried hum.

"Annie's face." She says, lifting her hand from mine to point at the large screen. "It doesn't look good."

I follow her finger and grimace. She's right. It looks _awful_.

Damn.

I watch as, on screen, Ethan lies Jasmine gently down on the blanket, flat on her stomach. Annie hangs back whilst he and Reuben begin inspecting the younger girl's wounds, her eyes shifting down towards her own burnt arm. Gingerly and looking faintly nauseous, she peels back her blackened sleeve, revealing blistered and stained skin.

Mags winces.

"It's _purple_." She says disbelievingly.

"It's an acid burn." I remind her. "God knows what it's doing to her."

We both sit in silence for a few seconds, imagining what horrible kind of acid the gamemakers could have developed, what horrible things it could do to Annie if it got in her bloodstream. I wonder which death would be the most painful: butchered at the hands of the district 2s or poisoned slowly from the inside out.

"Do you think it's too late?" I ask quietly.

Mags takes a breath.

"Not for Annie, no."

I glance towards the sponsorship funds.

"We could send her something. We've got enough."

"They might think it was from the 1's mentors." Mags warns, although as she does so, she reaches out and brings up a list of the medicines we can send as sponsor gifts on a screen. "And even if they don't," She continues, selecting a cream. "Annie would still use it on Jasmine first."

A little rueful smile traces my lips because that's exactly what she'll do. It's just so _Annie_.

"Yeah, she would, wouldn't she?"

There's a pause. On screen, Ethan is rummaging through his rucksack, apparently looking for something for Jasmine. I already know they haven't got anything strong enough; not for Jasmine, not for Annie.

Out of the corner of her eye, I can see Mags watching me. She wants to send something, I can tell, but she won't do it unless I'm in complete agreement.

"It'll be expensive." I say.

"Yes." Mags replies.

"We might need the money later on." I add.

"Yes." Mags says again.

"It's not a _horrific_ injury." I say slowly, tapping my fingers on the glass desk.

"Finnick." Mags replies patiently. "It'll get infected. Most injuries do."

I heave a sigh. She's right, of course. In the Hunger Games, what with all that dirt and blood and lack of food, water and sleep, it's unbelievably easy for wounds to get infected and fester. You'd be surprised how many tributes are killed, not by mutts or savage Careers, but by germs.

"She probably won't have time for it to get infected." I point out flatly, thinking of Ash and Seela and their plan.

"Finnick." Mags says softly. "Have a little faith."

I don't answer, instead fixing my eyes on my hands, my lips pursing.

"She's tougher than you think." Mags continues, a quiet conviction in her voice. "And Ethan too. Ethan can fight Ash and Seela, I know he can. And he's not stupid, he has to be expecting them to turn on him and Annie. They were marked as targets from day one." Her hand reaches out to rest on mine, the weight of her fingers stopping my endless tapping. "Don't write them off just yet."

I am hit by the sudden memory of another woman – another woman with white hair and wise green eyes – telling me the same thing: to believe in Annie Cresta.

And if Annie Cresta is going to survive longer than two days, then she's going to need something for that burn.

"Oh what the hell." I say, reaching over and confirming our purchase of the burn cream. "If she dies tomorrow then we won't need to save our sponsor funds for anything else, will we?"

Mags shoots me a _look_ but I am saved from having to respond when my computer asks me whether I want to send a note with the gift. I go to dismiss it, but she catches my wrist.

"Hang about." She says. "Send her a note."

"What would I say?" I retort a little sarcastically. "Run now. The psychos from district 2 are plotting to kill you?"

"No." Mags says with the hint of a smile. "Say something _suggestive_."

My forehead creases.

"Pardon?"

"Something flirtatious." Mags clarifies with a waggle of her eyebrows. I blink at her, because well, it's _Mags_ and the word sounds all wrong coming from her.

"Flirtatious?" I echo faintly.

"Yes." She says. "And be quick about it too."

I contemplate for a second. Mags, as always, is right. The Capitol people are already buzzing over Annie's pretty blushes and Ethan's apparent resentment. My getting involved with some suggestive comment will just make their _day_.

The Capitol Finnick – the one that knows how to charm a woman, the one that knows what makes a good show – takes over and my fingers fly over the keyboard.

"There." I say, leaning back and looking to Mags for approval. Her face splits into a cheeky grin and her eyes glint with amusement.

"Perfect."

I hit the enter key and our gift is confirmed. It takes mere seconds for the parachute to be released and we watch it drift to the ground a little way from where Annie is now crouched beside Jasmine, her lips turned downwards. With a surprised whoop, Reuben darts over to pick it up, twisting the lid and popping it open. He moves back over to kneel beside Jasmine's slumped form, next to Preese and opposite Annie, before taking out the small translucent jar and handing it to Ethan.

I watch Annie's eyes light up as she realises what it is.

"They think it's from the 1 mentors." Mags says as Ethan unscrews the jar and sets about applying it to Jasmine's back.

"No, wait." I lean forward a little. "Reuben's found the note."

On screen, the boy from 7 unfolds it slowly and I watch with satisfaction as his eyes widen just a little whilst he reads it. He chews on his lip for a moment, his gaze flickering between Annie and Ethan, who are both too absorbed in treating Jasmine to notice the small slip of paper in his hand.

"Um, Annie..." He begins hesitantly. Annie's head lifts, her eyebrows raised expectantly, but then a loud crashing in the bushes on the edge of the clearing draws their attention. In barely a second, Annie, Reuben and Preese have a weapon in their hand and Ethan has his harpoon raised and aimed.

I, however, don't panic. I already know which two tributes are heading straight towards them and that neither of them pose any threat. Not yet, anyhow.

Ash stalks through the undergrowth, his expression twisted into a scowl, his grip on his sword so tight, his knuckles are white. Seela lopes after him, that smug, predatory smile returning as she lays sight on the other Careers. Somehow, I can tell she's thinking about her and Ash's plan for Annie and Ethan.

As he approaches, Ash's eyes narrow at Ethan, who is the only one of the group who hasn't yet lowered his weapon.

"What the hell are you pointing that thing at?" He growls. Ethan's shoulders lift in a brief shrug and then he places his harpoon on the ground beside him. I am pleased to note that he keeps it well within reach.

"We didn't know who it was." He replies carefully, the vaguest hint of suspicion in his eyes. None of the others seem to notice it though.

"Yeah well," Seela says, raising a perfectly formed brow. "Who else other than Ash is going to come pounding through the bushes like a herd of flipping elephants?"

I stifle a smirk. True that.

"Did you get 11?" Reuben asks.

"No." Ash steams. "The coward ran." His gaze suddenly finds Jasmine and irritation curls his lips. "What happened to _her_?"

"The rain got her." Annie tells him.

Seela's dark eyes rake over Annie and her blistering cheek.

"And you, I see." She says coolly. Annie's glare is withering.

"Just a splash."

"Right." Seela says disbelievingly. She turns back to Jasmine, then, and the contempt practically radiates from her. "We'll have to do something about _her_."

Annie and Ethan both scowl at the same time.

"We have some medicine." Reuben says, nodding towards the jar still in Ethan's hand.

"Yeah." Preese adds. "Pretty expensive too, I'd guess. Our sponsors sent it for her."

Nuh uh, kid, I think a little meanly, you ain't got sponsors like _that_.

Reuben clears his throat.

"Well, actually." He says awkwardly, his eyes creeping towards Annie. "I think it's from the District 4 sponsors."

"What?" Annie and Ethan ask simultaneously. Reuben shrugs.

"There was a note in the 'chute." He says, leaning over to hand it to Annie, who's looking a little perplexed.

"What?" She asks, taking it from him and beginning to unfold it. "For me?" When he nods, she opens the paper fully, smoothing it out a little as she reads it.

Colour floods her cheeks.

_Yes_.

There is silence in the clearing as everyone eyes Annie interestedly. She doesn't put anyone out of their misery though; she just kneels there, the note tilted protectively towards her, her cheeks tinged scarlet and her lips parted in silent... surprise? Shock? Pleasure? I have no idea. She's rather uncharacteristically letting nothing show.

Eventually, Reuben speaks.

"I guess the cream rightfully belongs to you then, Annie." He says slowly. Ethan's eyes meet Annie's, before slipping back down to the note.

"What's it say?" He asks. Annie's throat shifts as she swallows.

"Nothing."

I pull a face at Mags. If she's not going to read it out, then no one will know what it said, and I will have embarrassed her for nothing.

"Read it out, Cresta." Ash folds his arms across his chest.

Annie looks cornered.

"It's not very exciting." She says in a small voice.

"Well then," He strides over and rips the note from her hand. "You won't mind _me_ reading it."

She opens her mouth to protest, but Ash is already opening the note, his eyebrows furrowing.

"_Wouldn't want to ruin that pretty face of yours, eh_?" He reads aloud, disdain in his voice. "It's signed _F._"

Annie ducks her head.

"F." Ash repeats. "_Finnick_."

Again, Annie goes to speak, but Ash cuts her off with a snort of derision, dropping the note back in her lap.

"Creep." He hisses spitefully. "All a bunch of publicity crap."

"It's not." Annie says sharply. I smirk, because that sounded a _smidge_ genuine. Annie realises this a split second later and mortification passes across her face, followed immediately after by conflict. I wonder if she's going to change her mind and deny it all, but then her jaw sets and her chin tilts. "It's not." She says again and my smirk becomes a grin.

"Mentor's don't usually send notes." Ash snaps. "Especially not notes like _that_."

That's true, I guess. It's pretty hard to send a note without revealing anything and remaining within the rules so we don't often bother.

"There isn't any _like that_." Annie tells him evenly, her jaw still tight. "You know what Finnick's like. You've heard the rumours."

Although Ash backs off – because well, that's true too – a strange hollow feeling settles in my chest and my smile slips from my face; as it always does when I am reminded of my image, of who everyone believes me to be.

Of who Annie believes me to be.

As if she can read my thoughts, Mags' hand finds mine.

On screen, Annie still looks flushed, although I can tell she's making a special effort to stay composed and impassive. Her eyes shift sideways towards Ethan, who cocks an eyebrow at her. If it's at all possible, her cheeks darken even more.

"What a nice sponsor gift." He says neutrally. Annie fumbles to fold up the note and shove it in her pocket.

"Mm." She replies none committally. Ethan holds out the jar.

"Well then..." He says with just the hint of amusement in his eyes. "Get to work on that pretty face."

"No, it's fine." Annie says embarrassedly. "Finish up with Jasmine first."

"I'm just about done." When she won't take the jar, Ethan sets it in her lap and turns back to Preese. "Wanna help me bandage her up?"

Whilst the pair of them get to work, Annie sets about applying her sponsor gift to her burns. The relief in her expression makes the money worth it.

"That should fix her up alright." I say with satisfaction.

"And the note caused quite a splash in the arena." Mags adds, scrolling idly through our list of sponsorship offers. "Let's hope it has the same effect amongst the sponsors."

She leans forward, squinting at the sponsorship screen a little. I watch on the large screen as Reuben offers to dab cream across Annie's face and she accepts.

"Do you think they believe it?" I ask after a moment's silence.

"Who believes what?" Mags replies distractedly.

"Everyone out there. The sponsors. Believing this whole _thing_ between me and Annie." I shift back in my seat and rub an anxious hand across my chin.

Mags swivels her chair round to face me.

"Why wouldn't they?" She asks. "A teenage girl with a crush on Finnick Odair," Her eyebrows waggle again. "Not exactly new." I roll my eyes and she chuckles, reaching out to rub my arm. "Finn," She says. "Whatever it is between the two of you..." I open my mouth to protest but she just chuckles again. "I'm not saying there _is_ anything, Finnick." She says. "But you've got to convince the sponsors that there is. And the note was a good start, not to mention Annie's pink cheeks."

I shrug.

"I guess so."

"Finnick," Mags is suppressing a smile. "Do you want them to believe it?"

"Yes, I do. I just..." I heave a sigh. "I don't know." Mags's head tips to one side as she regards me, that little smile surfacing. "Yes." I say with a definitive nod. "I want them to believe it."

"Good." She says, reaching out to ruffle my hair. "Now, it looks like Annie's all patched up."

I turn my attention back to the arena and see Reuben give Annie an affectionate pat on the other cheek.

"There." He says brightly. "Good as new."

Beside me, Mags smiles.

"Bless him." She says.

Annie, meanwhile, narrows her eyes sceptically and quite rightly too. Her entire right cheek and the bridge of her nose is smeared in an almost opaque layer of cream and the skin is rough and blistered. It looks like it still hurts like hell, but it shouldn't get infected.

"Really?" Annie asks.

Seela – who up till now has remained silent, settling instead for watching with a spiteful sneer on her face – puts her hands on hips.

"Does it really matter what you like," She asks. "When you'll be dead in a few days?"

There's a silence and every kid in that clearing stares at her open mouthed. Even Jasmine and she's only half conscious. Next to me, Mags mutters a very bad word. The word I say is even worse.

Annie's cheeks redden beneath the layer of cream, her eyes shifting down towards the ground.

"That was uncalled for." Ethan's voice is quiet but no one can mistake the note of steel. Seela shrugs nonchalantly.

"It's true."

I realise I'm grinding my teeth.

"Don't you dare..." Ethan begins furiously.

"Forget it, Ethan." Annie interrupts. He shoots her an irritated look and looks like he might go to say something else, but she cuts him off again with a pointed glare and he doesn't try to continue, instead finishing tying up Jasmine's bandages in silence.

The poor girl from district 1 lifts her head again. Her cheeks are tear-stained and her hair is singed, but she looks a little more awake. I'm suddenly glad they used the cream on her first.

"Right," Ash straightens authoritatively. "We should move on."

"What?" Preese frowns. "Move camp?"

"Yeah." Ash replies slowly, his arms folding and his lips curling upwards in a wicked smirk. "But not until we've found some other tributes."

Annie and Ethan exchange brief – and to me – inscrutable glances, but then they, along with everyone else, begin to prepare for the move. Reuben slips off his jacket and along with Ethan, helps Jasmine into it. Preese scoots around picking up the medical supplies scattered about the area. Seela scratches a stain – I don't even want to know what it is – from her sabre blade. Ash swings his rucksack over his shoulder, rolling his eyes when it becomes clear the others might need a little longer than thirty seconds to get ready. And Annie... Annie helps Preese repack the bags, nodding as he chatters to her but not saying a word.

More than once, her hand sneaks up to touch her jacket pocket, the pocket I know contains my note.

"Do you think she knows she's doing that?" Cashmere asks from a little way behind me. I don't turn and she moves over to run her hand along my back.

"I don't know." I reply. It suddenly strikes me that _I don't know_ has become my natural response to any question involving Annie.

"Do you think she's realised what you're doing?" Cashmere continues. "This whole romance, flirtation thing?"

I bite back the _I don't know_.

"Probably." I say instead. "She's a smart girl." I notice Mags trying to slip away and turn to her. "Where are you going?"

"I need a coffee." She says.

"I'll go." I offer.

"No." She shakes her head, glancing towards Cashmere. "I need the walk."

I decide to ignore the fact that it takes about twenty seconds to walk to the coffee machine. I know why Cashmere is here and I know Mags knows too and wants to leave us alone. Why Cashmere seems to think it's me more than Mags she needs to thank though is beyond me.

"Okay." I reply with a defeated sigh. "Grab me one would you Mags, please?"

"Sweetener?"

I pull a face.

"God, no." I say. "Just throw in a couple of sugar cubes."

She nods and then she's off, ambling down past the district three booth towards the machine. I glance towards Cashmere and she takes this as permission to nick Mags's seat.

There is a pause.

"You don't have to thank me." I say finally. "It wasn't for Jasmine, it was for Annie."

"I know." She says. "But I want to anyway."

"There's really no point..."

"I know." She cuts me off. "I don't like having to thank you, Finn, and I especially don't like owing you anything, but just hear me out, okay?"

I let out a breath.

"Fine."

"Fine." She mimics. My eyes slide towards her.

"Just get on with it, Cashmere."

"Right." She pauses for a minute, her eyebrows slightly drawn together in contemplation. "Look," She says eventually. "You didn't have to send anything and you didn't have to send enough for Jasmine to share either, so thanks. I know it wasn't for Jasmine, but well, we couldn't afford to send her any and chances are she'd be dead without it."

"She might die anyway." I point out.

"I know." Cashmere says. "But Annie risked her life to save her, Finnick, and then you used up a big chunk of your funds and saved her again and that's something I have to thank you for, whether you like it or not." There is another little silence and when Cashmere speaks again, her voice is so soft I very nearly don't hear her. "You did it for Annie, didn't you?"

"Of course." I say briskly, tapping my nail on the metal arm of my chair. "Her burns could have gotten infected otherwise."

"No." Cashmere says quietly. "You did it because it was Annie would have wanted you to do, could she tell you. You saved Jasmine because Annie saved her first, didn't you? You saved her because you care about Annie and so you care about the things – the _people_ – Annie cares about."

It takes me a moment to form words and even then I can't get them out.

"I don't-" I begin, and then I falter.

Because maybe Cashmere is right. Maybe what she's saying makes sense.

Logic dictates that Jasmine needs to die for one of my tributes to win. Logic dictates that her death would be a good thing. But logic also dictates that I wouldn't send a hugely expensive sponsor gift that I was absolutely _positive_ Annie would use mostly on Jasmine and her injuries and that's exactly what I did.

Come to think of it, logic even dictates that I shouldn't send Annie anything since Ethan is actually my top tribute and _logically_, the money should all be saved for him.

But I'd completely ignored all logical thought. So had Mags, for that matter. We followed our hearts, not our heads, which is a change when it comes to the Games. But you know, in a way, the sponsors haven't been acting logically either. Sure, Annie is a good bet, but there are better. Ash, Reuben, Seela, for example. I suddenly think of Ondine Amele choosing to mention Annie over everyone else during the panel show, choosing to follow her heart and not her head.

Maybe there's just something about Annie Cresta; something I should really start believing in.

"I don't," I try again, feeling more than a little muddled. "I didn't..."

Cashmere pats my back.

"Don't worry about it." She says, standing and smiling sadly down at me. "Once my two are out of the Games, their sponsorship funds are all yours, Finnick, I promise."

* * *

_Well... I hope you enjoyed it._ _I'm sorry not much happened! Anyway, thank you for reading and please remember to review; just let me know what you liked or perhaps what you didn't like, although I much prefer the former ;) xx_


	10. Allies, Friends and Faceless Enemies

_Thanks for reading and please leave me a review. I love your feedback! :)_

* * *

**CHAPTER TEN - ALLIES, FRIENDS AND FACELESS ENEMIES**

* * *

Cashmere heads back to her booth, leaving me a little stumped and more confused than ever.

I don't know what to think, how to feel. Scrap that, I _do_ know how to feel - I should be expecting the worst. I should be putting my confidence in Ethan. I should be willing him to win. I should be preparing myself for the moment Annie's luck runs out - but I just don't feel that way. I don't _want_ to feel that way any more.

On screen, the Careers finish packing up and head off into the woods, and I lean back in my seat, letting my breath filter slowly through my teeth.

Where will putting my faith in Annie get me? I wonder, watching as, in the arena, the girl in question helps Jasmine over a fallen branch. Won't it just make it more painful when she dies if I admit to myself that I want her to live?

_But you do, _a little voice in my head insists, _you_ _want her to win._

Before I'm forced to properly acknowledge this, though, a steaming cup of coffee lands on my desk and I look up, startled, to see Mags has returned. She's eyeing me concernedly, her grey brows knitted together, and I offer her a half smile, trying to reassure her I'm fine. She doesn't seem convinced, though.

"You looked deep in thought." She says as she lowers herself into her seat. I shrug, feeling strangely embarrassed, hoping my back-and-forth thought processes aren't visible on my face, and her eyes crinkle worriedly. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah." I say falteringly. "I was just... I was just thinking I should go apologise to Brutus."

I wasn't, but come to think of it, that's not a bad thing to do. I was wrong to blame him and he deserves an apology. Dammit, he deserves me grovelling at his feet because of what I said.

Still. Apologising. To _Brutus_. I heave a sigh. He's going to hold this over me for the rest of my life, isn't he?

"I guess I'd best do it now." I say reluctantly.

"Okay." Mags gives me a knowing smile. "Good luck."

"You'll be alright here on your own for a bit?" I check.

She nods.

"Sure. The Careers are just moving camp for the time being." Her smile suddenly widens. "Drink your coffee. You'll need it." I pull a face at her but pick it up all the same because she's probably right. She laughs at my expression. "Off you pop, sweetie."

And so off I go, coffee in hand, towards the 2's booth. And then I hesitate. Enobaria isn't there, for which I'm glad, but Brutus is and he's unoccupied, scrolling idly through the list of possible sponsor gifts, moving through them too fast to actually be reading it properly.

He hasn't realised I'm there yet and I get the urge to turn on my heel and leave. Part of me wants to apologise (my cheeks burn as I remember my outburst) but another part of me can't get over Ash and Seela and how, tomorrow night, they'll turn on Annie and Ethan and _enjoy_ it.

But Brutus isn't Ash and Seela. He's tough, brash and a killer like me, but he's not cruel. Maybe he enjoyed his Games, maybe he enjoyed the power of killing, but I saw his face when Seela had Mia pinned to the ground: Brutus isn't a monster.

I'm still hovering there, awkward and unsure, when he turns suddenly and catches sight of me. The grooves in his face deepen and I can't tell if he's still angry or offended or something else entirely.

But then his eyes shift towards the coffee cup in my hand.

"That something strong?" He asks. I stare at him blankly for a moment, a little taken aback. "Well?" He demands.

"Black coffee." I reply. "You want it?"

"God, yes."

I go and hand it to him – a peace offering – and as I sink down in the seat next to him, he takes a huge gulp... And immediately chokes, spitting it back into the cup with a splash, gagging and retching like I'd just tried to _poison_ him.

His face twists in disgust.

"You put sugar in this?"

"Uh, yeah." I say and he shudders, wiping a hand across his mouth.

"You're a damn fairy, Finnick Odair." He says matter of factly and I let out a snort of laughter. Although he's still grimacing theatrically, there's humour in his eyes as he puts the cup down on the desk and pushes it towards me. "You can have _that_ back, kiddo."

I eye the frothy saliva scum on the surface of my drink and now it's my turn to shudder.

"No thanks, mate."

Brutus' face splits into a grin and I return it, thankful he's not furious with me although I deserve it, although I acted inexcusably.

The thought wipes the grin from my face and I look down, suddenly very interested in my hands. Neither of us speaks again for a few more moments and I begin to fiddle with the rim of the coffee cup, picking at the polystyrene.

"So," Brutus says eventually. I still don't look at him. "Did you come over here for any particular reason?" I hear the smile return to his voice. "Apart from to poison me, that is?"

The corner of my lips lift, but I keep my eyes on my fidgeting hands. It takes me a little while to find the words.

"Yeah." I sigh finally. "I came over to apologise." Brutus is silent and I turn my head to look at him. He's staring straight ahead, his eyes fixed on the screens. "I'm sorry." I say and once it's out the first time, I find it easier to carry on. "I'm sorry I exploded. I'm sorry about what I said. I'm sorry I blamed you. I was wrong and I'm... I'm just really sorry."

When Brutus still doesn't reply, I focus again on the coffee cup and my restless fingers, thinking I've said something wrong and I've blown it. Brutus is a friend and I don't have very many, especially not many who understand what it's like to be a victor, what it's like to wake up and wish you hadn't, what it's like to smile and laugh with sponsors when you're crying on the inside, what it's like to watch children die every year and feel like it's your fault...

I need Brutus to be my friend again.

"Brutus?" My voice is embarrassingly small and I suddenly feel like a little kid.

And then he's shaking his head at me, a broad grin stretching across his face.

"You never had anything to apologise for, kid." He says. "I was giving you some space. You just needed to cool down."

I am disbelieving.

"But what I said..."

"Was understandable." He interrupts. And then he sighs, leaning back in his chair. "I know it's hard, kid. God, I know it's hard."

I feel my shoulders slump.

"But I've never felt like this before." I say helplessly. "I've never taken it so _personally_."

Brutus' low chuckle is teasing.

"If you can't work that one out for yourself, mate, I'm not gonna break it to ya."

I glance at him, puzzled, but before I can ask him what he means, Enobaria announces her presence with her customary sarcastic remark.

"Gotten over our tantrum, have we, poppet?" She asks patronisingly. I spin round in the chair to face her and see she's already settling herself in the sofa, stretching like a cat.

I eye her coolly, knowing that if I glare at her as I very much want to do, she'll just enjoy teasing me even more.

"I have actually."

Her teeth flash as she grins at me.

"It's okay, sweetheart, we forgive you. We all know you're still only young." She looks at me through her lashes, her lips pursing coquettishly, her fingers rubbing up and down the arm of the sofa. "And how much little miss Cresta means to you." She continues silkily. This time, I do glare at her. "Oh don't look at me like that." She laughs. "It's true. You've already been punching sponsors left, right and centre because they threatened your pretty little tribute's honour."

I might growl at her at that.

"Really?" Brutus ears perk up.

"One." I say through gritted teeth. "It was _one_. And he wasn't a sponsor, he was a creep."

"I never heard about this!" Brutus exclaims. "You _punched_ him!?"

"We don't need to talk about it." I say moodily.

"Oh yes." Enobaria tells her mentoring partner. "In a bar, right in front of everyone."

I let out a groan.

"Oh, for goodness sake."

"Apparently the guy ended up in hospital with a broken nose." Enobaria continues with relish.

"Damn," Brutus guffaws. "You don't do things by half, do you Finnick?"

"Oh shut up." I huff. How did an apology turn into a bullying session?

Brutus punches my arm.

"We're just teasing, kid." He grins. "Good on you for showing that pervert that not everyone's for sale."

The atmosphere sort of stalls and I take a sudden breath, because I _am_... I am for sale and so is Enobaria. Brutus was too once upon a time and still is, on the odd occasion.

My hand closes around the coffee cup still on the desk and I take a deep swig, suddenly needing caffeine. Brutus' head snaps towards me, his eyes creasing amusedly, making a funny noise in his nose as he tries to hold back sudden laughter.

"Uh, Finnick." He says with a chuckle and I suddenly realise what I'm doing and what Brutus _did_ to this coffee and then I'm gagging.

"Ahh no!" I splutter, clawing at my tongue. "No!"

The sound of Brutus' raucous laughter echoes around the whole of the centre room.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The Careers head westwards, away from the cornucopia. Ash and Seela (predictably) lead the way, with Preese and Reuben somewhere in the middle and Annie, Ethan and Jasmine bringing up the rear. Jasmine looks a little brighter but she's definitely struggling. Annie and Ethan help her along as much as possible but she's not going very fast and the 2s are getting more and more impatient with every minute.

"I have a feeling Ash is going to snap soon." Mags says quietly and I nod in agreement.

I'm back in my chair with Mags now, having left Brutus and Enobaria cackling away in their own booth and swilled my mouth out at the sink by the coffee machine.

I shudder once more.

"Come on!" On screen, Ash scowls over his shoulder at a limping Jasmine. It's about the eighth time he's growled at her and I can see Ethan is looking more than a little irritated.

"Give her a break, Ash." Ethan rolls his eyes. "She's injured."

Ash suddenly stops and whirls round. I see fury in his eyes and for a moment, wonder if this is it, if Ash will snap. I feel my nose crinkle anxiously because, if Ash goes for Jasmine, I know that either Ethan or Annie – or both – will intervene, probably without thinking. I could see it took all Annie had to not stop Seela killing Belle, but if it's Jasmine, if Ash decides she's slowing them down too much and goes for her... well, the results don't bear thinking about.

"She's slowing us down." Ash growls through gritted teeth. Next to me, I see Mags fight a wince.

Ethan, though, is not impressed.

"As I said before," He says slowly, in a way that's designed to irritate Ash. "She's _injured_."

Ash's eyebrows furrow so deeply they look like they might meet in the middle.

"I don't appreciate your attitude, Marborough."

"And I don't appreciate your attitude towards Jasmine." Ethan retorts. "But it doesn't seem like that's gonna change any time soon."

Ash steps forward and Ethan's stance becomes immediately defensive. He moves, almost imperceptibly, until he's in front of Jasmine and Annie.

"If she doesn't hurry the hell up," Ash hisses aggressively, pointing a threatening finger in the injured girl's direction. "I swear, I'll slit her throat."

_Jerk_.

Annie's jaw clenches, but her hand slips out to take Jasmine's, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Fine." Ethan replies evenly. "But don't expect my sympathy when _you're_ injured."

Ash's eyes narrow, glittering dangerously.

"I wouldn't dream of it." He snarls, turning on his heel and stalking off ahead after Seela and the others. "Get a move on!" He yells over his shoulder.

The three left behind stand like statues for a moment, none of them moving, none of them speaking: they're barely even breathing. Ethan's furious expression looks like it's carved in stone and Annie... Annie looks like she's about to explode.

But then she takes a few breaths and I see her calm herself down. Her fists unclench and she pushes her tongue into the side of her cheek, loosening her jaw. Although it's actually quite refreshing to see her angry, to see the edge that might save her later on, now is not the moment for fury. Now is is the moment to get on with it and ignore Ash and his scowls.

After a few minutes, Jasmine turns to Annie, her lips forming a faint smile.

"Do you think someone should tell him he'll scare away all the other tributes yelling like that?" She asks. Annie smiles, but it's forced, I can tell.

"Nah." She says lightly. "He'll figure it out for himself soon enough."

The three of them move on, but Jasmine begins to flag and I can tell she's getting weaker by the second. After another ten or fifteen minutes, she stops and slumps onto a tree stump, her shoulders sagging.

"Go on without me." She announces dramatically, but it's clear she's in pain, it's clear she's wondering how long she'll last.

"No way." Annie tells her softly and there's a note of steel in her voice – a promise of protection – that makes me both proud and anxious at the same time. Jasmine blinks at her, confused.

"But Ash..."

"Ash nothing." Ethan cuts her off. "I promise you, Jasmine, neither me nor Annie will let Ash hurt you, okay?"

She nods and that little smile is back.

"'Kay."

"We mean it." Annie says firmly. "We're allies, remember?"

Jasmine's eyes well up.

"Yeah."

"Good." Ethan turns round and hunkers down a little, holding his arms out behind him. "Now, who's for a piggyback ride?"

Jasmine's face lights up and Annie laughs, a clear bright sound in the shadowed forest. As she helps the younger girl onto Ethan's back and the three of them set off again, joking gently, Annie and Ethan making a conscious effort to keep the conversation positive for Jasmine, a little pain tears at my chest, like a glass shard puncturing my heart.

Because they're just normal kids - they were once _happy_ kids - and the Capitol ruin everything.

The Capitol always does.

* * *

**...**

* * *

_I hope you're getting the sense that Finnick is getting more and more confused, bitter, frustrated and angry with the Games and the Capitol. That's what I was aiming for._

_Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review! x_


	11. The Taste of Blood

_Wow, it's been a long time. I apologise... I've become one of those authors I dislike that never update! In the meantime, though, I have added a bonus chapter to Annie's Story if you haven't already checked that out! And I've updated my Haymitch/Maysilee fic - still on chapter two, but we might get there!_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, thank you for sticking with me despite the long wait! :)_

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN - THE TASTE OF BLOOD**

* * *

The next couple of hours pass with nothing notable happening in the arena. There's a lot of movement as most tributes shift their camps, but none of them run into each other, and there's a pretty big distance between most of them. It's odd, and I'm surprised the Gamemakers haven't sent in a mutt or something yet.

Maybe the growing tensions in the Career pack are keeping the bettors busy.

Ethan keeps Jasmine on his back as they move through the forest, keeping just a little ahead of Annie, who is bringing up the rear. Jasmine is looking brighter and a little colour has returned to her cheeks, but I know it's the anesthetising effect of the medicine Mags and I sent. I know she probably doesn't have long.

At some point, Brutus ambles over to fling himself dramatically onto our couch. He claims he's bored. I retort, rather sharply, that any moment in the arena he could describe as 'boring' is fine by me. Sometimes I wonder whether Brutus might actually have preferred being thrown back into the arena himself to being stuck in the Capitol watching the action on screens.

Brutus just laughs at my sour expression, and leans back, stretching out lazily on _our_ sofa.

"Make yourself comfortable." I tell him sarcastically, which he promptly does, rearranging the cushions and lifting his feet up to rest on the arm of the sofa.

He and Mags chat for a little while - my irritation fades as I remember how sweet he can be when he puts his mind to it - but I don't really join in. I'm tired from the little amount of sleep I got last night, and what with the whole Ash Seela plot/acid rain thing, I'm feeling more than a little drained.

We're day two of the arena and I'm already exhausted.

Early afternoon and the Careers pick a small clearing to rest in a little way from the river. They set about different chores - Reuben and Seela collect firewood, Ethan checks on and redresses Jasmine's wounds, and Annie, Ash and Preese sort through the food they've got left.

It's not a lot.

"Where we gonna get more food from?" Ash asks, looking seriously wracked off. "We'll finish this by tomorrow night."

"Did we leave anything at the cornucopia?" Preese asks, and Ash scowls at him.

"Of course not!" He scoffs. "That would have been stupid." Preese shrinks back, his shoulders hunching a little, his chin disappearing inside his jacket collar.

"He was just asking, Ash." Annie says tiredly. "No need to snap."

Ash turns the force of his glare on Annie, but to my surprise, doesn't reply. Annie returns to counting out the supplies, distributing it all as equally and as fairly as she can.

"You're right, Ash." She says after a few minutes. "This won't last very long."

"Maybe our mentors will send something?" Ash looks to the sky hopefully. I shake my head with a chuckle. Brutus and Enobaria send something as useless as food? Not on your life.

Annie raises her eyebrows at him.

"Was that a hint, Ash?" She asks, a smidge teasingly.

Ash's eyes narrow back at her, but there's an unexpected humour there. He looks up again.

"How about it Brutus, mate?" He calls into the sky. "Send us some sandwiches?"

Brutus - now sat beside me, having usurped Mags' swivel chair a little while ago and banished her to the admittedly more comfortable sofa - shakes his head.

"Nuh uh." He says, jabbing a finger towards the screen. "Why don't you ask for something useful, eh?" He glances towards me and rolls his eyes. "Sandwiches. The little bugger asks for _sandwiches_."

Back in the arena, Annie has begun handing out food packets.

"I get the feeling Brutus isn't the kind of guy to send sandwiches, Ash..." She tells him, hiding a smile in her sleeve.

"She's got you pegged alright." I tell Brutus, who just nods and grins.

"So," Annie continues, looking around. "We're going to have to find something to eat."

Ash snorts.

"I'm not eating nuts and berries if that's what you're offering."

Across the clearing, Ethan looks up from where he's finishing knotting up Jasmine's bandages.

"You won't be complaining about nuts and berries when you've not eaten for three days."

Ash lets out a grunt, snatching his food parcel from Annie and shoving it into his backpack.

"I wasn't offering nuts and berries anyway." Annie says tentatively. "We're only a little way from the river. Me and Ethan could try and catch some fish."

Ash looks satisfied, but Preese wrinkles his nose.

"Ugh. Fish."

"Fish is good for you, kid." Ethan stands, picking up his harpoon and looking towards Annie. "Worth a try, isn't it?"

* * *

...

* * *

In the end, Annie and Ethan take Preese along with them. It's quite sweet actually. The younger boy obviously adores Ethan. I feel kind of sorry for him, though. He's got to know he has no chance really, not up against the likes of Ethan, Reuben, Ash…

"I've never caught a fish." Preese says eagerly as they near the river.

"Never?" Annie echoes.

"There aren't any rivers in 1. Well," He amends. "Not any with fish in."

"What _is_ in 1?" Ethan asks, holding back a branch crossing their path and letting the other pass in front of him.

"Mines." Preese replies. "Lots of mines for gold, silver, there are even some diamond mines right up in the north, I think. And factories, and workshops. Loads and loads of workshops. My dad is a goldsmith."

I listen interestedly. I've never been to 1. Cashmere keeps nagging me to, but somehow, visiting one of the Capitol's pet districts has never been high on my agenda.

"What's it like in 4?" Preese asks.

Annie and Ethan look at each other and I can tell they're both missing it – the wide expanse of the ocean, the smell of salt in the air, the white chalky cliffs. Life in 4 may not be the easiest, but it's sure as hell better than life in the Capitol. I miss district 4 with all my heart every second I spend here.

"District 4?" Preese prompts them onscreen.

"It's cold." Ethan says with a smile. "Well, the sea is. And the wind. And sometimes it's quite stormy."

"I love the sea storms." Annie says with a grin.

Ethan chuckles.

"Yeah. Me too."

The three of them lapse into silence, and I know they're all wondering if they'll ever see their home again. I remember that sense of deep despair when I stepped onto the Capitol's train for the first time five years ago as a tribute. I was just a kid, barely older than Preese, and I thought I didn't have a chance. Another wave of pity washes over me for the young boy from district 1.

I hope, when his time comes, that it'll be quick and painless.

"No," Ethan says patiently. "You've got to hold it like that."

He's sat on a rock at the edge of the river bank, attempting to teach Preese how to gut a fish. They've been fishing for a little while now, but the catch has been rubbish. Annie had fashioned some crude fish hooks and used some jerky as bait, but the fish just weren't taking it, so now, they've adopted a more primitive method. Annie is waist deep in water, spear poised, ready to catch any passing prey.

She looks like something out of a history textbook, but she's doing pretty well. There's a small pile of fish on the rock beside Ethan and Preese.

Ethan, meanwhile, is having a little more trouble teaching the boy from 1 how to even hold a dead fish, let alone gut it. He leans over Preese, pointing out the best place to put the knife, absorbed in his teachings. The younger boy catches Annie's eye and pulls a hideous face at her. She grins back.

"Got any more fish for us?" Ethan asks, looking up and nearly catching her laughing at him. She rearranges her features hurriedly, smothering her grin.

"Hm?"

He repeats himself and she nods.

"Give me a sec."

Her eyes rove the water, her spear lifting slowly as she takes aim.

"Bet she misses." Brutus teases.

"Bet she doesn't." I retort.

And she doesn't. Her spear slices into the water, impaling a passing fish through the head.

She lifts her prize from the water, holding it above her head and grinning at Ethan.

"She's pretty good." Brutus says approvingly, relaxing back in his seat, with his ankles crossed and his hands tucked behind his head.

I shoot him a flat look.

"Well, we are from district 4..."

Brutus chuckles.

"You know what I meant, don't be a smart ass."

On screen, Ethan has relinquished the knife to Preese, and is joining Annie in the river.

"What?" She asks, as he slips smoothly into the water, barely making even the smallest splash. "Are my catches not good enough for you?"

"Well," He says with a grin. "I think you could aim bigger."

Annie's eyes slant good naturedly.

"Bet you can't catch a fish bigger than that one."

He smirks.

"Betcha I can."

They hunt for a little longer, but it's not serious hunting. Anytime each of them takes aim, the other splashes cold water in their face. Preese tries to ignore them at first, concentrating firmly on gutting the small pile of fish beside him, but eventually, Annie's giggles become infectious and he starts watching them with a half amused, half wistful expression on his face.

"I always thought you were meant to be good at fishing." Annie mocks as Ethan misses another fish.

He points his harpoon in her direction.

"You sent a flippin' tidal wave at me." He accuses. Annie laughs.

"I didn't!"

"Finnick." Brutus is suddenly leaning forward, pointing at one of the screens. "Shit. Finnick."

"What?" I ask distractedly. I was enjoying the banter between my two tributes.

But then I see what it is Brutus has spotted and my stomach twists.

Because there's a giant crocodile swims leisurely up the river... and it's heading straight for my kids.

I knew it. I knew a mutt would turn up sooner or later.

I watch in horror as it closes in on Annie from behind, its shape dark and menacing beneath the surface of the shallow water. The pair of them are still laughing. She hasn't seen it coming yet. I swallow. She might never.

But then alarm registers on Ethan's face, and he freezes, one hand raised in warning.

"Don't move a muscle." He orders in a low voice.

Annie stills immediately. the smile slipping from her face.

"What?" She mouths, eyes wide.

He doesn't reply, his eyes trained on the creature as it begins to circle them, moving out from behind Annie and along the edge of the river. Annie spots it then and I see her throat shift as she swallows.

"Don't move." Ethan says again, his eyes shifting back to Annie's as the croc continues its lazy circuit.

Time almost slows as the creature loops around the pair - neither of my tributes move, and the forest is silent, the only sound the gentle flow of the river. On the bank, Preese is on his feet, his hands clapped across his mouth, his skin as white as paper.

Mags appears behind me, her hand moving up to rest on my shoulder. I glance at her and see the corners of her lips tug downwards into a little anxious frown.

Beside me, Brutus grimaces, his hand lifting to rub at his forehead.

"That's one big crocodile." He says quietly. I can't speak. I just nod. "Maybe," He falters. "Maybe if they keep still..."

But it's only a matter of time. Mutts aren't like regular animals. Mutts always get their kill.

The croc glides slowly through the water, its skin dark and mottled beneath the surface. The cameras make sure to get an underwater shot of the creature's large, muscled jaws, complete with jagged, razor sharp teeth, and smug crocodile smile.

As the mutt loops back around, moving towards Annie for a second time, I see its eyes, yellow and gleaming just above the surface, zero in on her. She hasn't moved, and still doesn't even as the croc tightens its circuit, drifting closer towards her. She remains rigid, the muscles in her face strained as she fights to keep completely still, but then I see her gaze flicker towards the croc, and brief terror sparks in her eyes... Shit. She looks like she might be about to make a run for it.

"Don't." I say a little desperately. "Dammit. Don't move!"

On screen, Ethan echoes my sentiments with a minute shake of his head and a barely audible _don't_...

The croc passes behind her, and I see it sweep its powerful tail, sending visible waves into the back of her legs. She sways a little but catches her balance, her head jerking to the right as the creature emerges at her side.

It's playing with them, I realise. The Gamemakers have programmed it to draw this out, to make it as exciting as possible.

My head drops as I imagine the crowds back in 4, watching as the mutt closes in, watching and knowing one of their tributes is going to die.

But which one?

A sudden yelp of terror and my gaze snaps back to the screen, just in time to see Preese - Preese who I thought was safe up on the bank - lose his nerve. With a cry of panic, he whirls round and races off through the undergrowth.

A beat and then the croc is after him, launching from the water like a torpedo. A wave explodes from its massive tail and Annie goes under.

But then she's back on her feet, looking slightly dazed and moving slowly towards the river bank. The wave sent Ethan flying too, but he was quicker than her and he's already at her side, grasping hold of her arm and shoving her towards the rocks.

"Come on!"

"Preese." She cries, but they've reached the edge of the river and Ethan grabs hold of her, throwing her roughly up onto the rocks.

"Move, now." He commands, and she obeys, scrambling up the embankment and stumbling to her feet. She turns towards the crashing of bushes, the terrified cries as Preese flees, but Ethan snatches up their rucksacks and then catches her hand, yanking her off in the opposite direction. "Come on!"

She resists him, shaking her head.

"But Preese..."

"It's too late!" He snaps angrily, jerking her along with him. "We can't outrun that thing."

"We can't leave him!"

Blood curdling screams echo through my headset and it takes me a second to process it's Preese and the croc has got hold of him. It tears him limb from limb, shredding him as if he's made of nothing more than paper.

Oh god. Poor Preese.

Back by the river, Ethan is practically dragging Annie along.

"It's too late!" He bellows as she resists him. "Come on!"

And then they're running, dashing through the bushes back towards the Career camp.

Preese's cannon fires and I see Annie's face crumple, even as she's pelting it through the forest.

A little way away, the croc stops thrashing around what's left of Preese's body, and turns, a low growl ripping through its teeth, blood dripping down its snout.

It might be my imagination, but its eyes narrow almost frustratedly, almost as if Preese was a mere distraction and it's lost its true prey... And then it's off, crashing through the forest after my pair of tributes.

Annie hears it first, her head whipping back, panic flooding her features.

"Ethan!" She cries. "It's coming!"

His jaw clenches in determination and he accelerates, pulling Annie along with him. They're nearing the camp now, just seconds away...

"Reuben!" Annie yells as she catches sight of him. "Get up the trees!"

They explode into the clearing, but everyone just stares at them in alarm and no one's moving.

"Get up the bloody trees!" Ethan bellows, seizing hold of Annie again and flinging her up the nearest tree. "Climb!" He orders, pushing her upwards.

She obeys, as do the others. Ash and Seela scramble up a tree on the opposite side of the clearing - Ash has to haul a hapless Seela up after him - and Reuben slings Jasmine over his shoulder, swarming a nearby oak with ease only gained from life in the forests of district 7.

Ethan follows Annie, swinging himself up the branches after her. She drags herself onto a flat broad branch, and he is quick to join her, pushing her roughly up against the trunk as he crams himself beside her.

I heave a little sigh of relief. They're safe. The croc can't reach them. It's over...

The mutt bursts into the clearing, its horrible yellow eyes finding the Careers in the trees almost immediately.

"What the hell is that?" Ash peers down at it anxiously.

"Mutt." Ethan answers shortly. Annie leans over the edge of the branch, and almost immediately jerks backwards, turning her head away. I expect it has something to do with the blood smeared across the croc's jaw...

The mutt snarls up at them as it paces below, trampling across the rucksacks and the pile of firewood the Careers had collected.

"They're not high enough." Brutus says suddenly. I look at him.

"What?"

"They're not high enough." He repeats, pointing towards the croc. "Crocodiles can rear up on two legs."

"They can?" I ask incredulously.

"Yes." He says grimly. "And I'll bet the Gamemakers have made that one a jumper too."

On screen, Jasmine tugs at Reuben's sleeve.

"Where's Preese?" She asks, her voice only just audible on the microphones. I grimace - the blood on the crocodile's teeth pretty much answers that.

Reuben calls her question across to Annie and Ethan, who just look at each other. I get the feeling they're unsure how to tell her, but the answer is plain in their expressions.

"No!" Jasmine's pained cry carries this time, and Annie drops her head. I wonder if she feels guilty - guilty that the croc went for Preese and not her, guilty that she ran in the opposite direction and didn't go after him - and I curse her for it.

Across the clearing, Reuben wraps his arm around Jasmine's shoulder, comforting her quietly for the death of her district partner. The Careers are silent at their first loss, perched up in the trees, looking down on the croc still pacing the forest floor below. It glares up at them with frustrated eyes and I begin to think Brutus may be wrong.

But the mutt has tasted blood, and it's not going to give up that easily. It fixes its gaze on Annie and Ethan up in their tree, and something in its eyes becomes speculative... Annie suddenly shifts to her knees.

"Higher." She says. "We need to get higher."

"What?" Ethan asks, peering down at the croc, which is still eyeing their tree thoughtfully. Annie grabs the back of his jacket and tries to shove him upwards.

"Higher!" She yells, both to him and to the others. "Get higher up!"

Ethan leaps to his feet and swings up the trunk, pulling himself up onto the next broad branch. Annie stands too, just as the croc begins to saunter slowly towards them. She braces her foot on the trunk and pushes upwards, but the next branch is a good foot or two above her head and I don't think she's strong enough to make it...

Her foot slips.

_No!_

Ethan catches her wrist as she falls, and she cries out in alarm as the weight of her body drags them both down. Gritting his teeth, Ethan steels himself, grabbing hold of the branch he's knelt on, his fingers practically embedding themselves in the wood.

Annie sways as she fights for footing on the trunk, but she's not falling anymore. Not yet anyhow.

The croc is now directly beneath her, eyeing her triumphantly. She's bait on a hook, that's what she is... just dangling there.

"Annie." Ethan grunts, letting go of the branch to grab her hand in both of his. "Don't let go of my hand."

She shakes her head breathlessly.

"I wasn't planning on." He shoots her a half grimace, half grin, and then wedging his foot between his branch and another, he starts heaving her upwards. She struggles to help him, but her boots skitter uselessly against the bark.

"Come on come on come on." I mutter under my breath. That damn croc is practically laughing down on the forest floor.

Ethan hauls her upwards and she scrabbles for a hold on the branch.

"Nearly there." His breath rushes through his teeth as he struggles to keep his balance and take her full weight.

Next to me, Brutus covers his eyes.

"The croc's gonna jump, man, the croc's gonna jump!"

And jump it does.

Ethan drags Annie up onto the branch a fraction of a second before it takes a snap at her.

As the croc drops back down to the ground with a furious growl, Ethan pulls her further onto the branch, tugging her so far she's practically in his lap. They're both a little breathless.

"You scared me." Ethan says quietly.

Annie gives him a half smile, sliding off his lap and squeezing herself alongside him.

"I scared me too."

He wraps an arm around her waist – ostensibly to keep her on the branch. I frown a little. I'm not entirely convinced.

"You alright?" Reuben calls from across the clearing.

"Yeah, thanks." Annie smiles at him, but I can tell she's shaken. "I'm fine."

The croc rears up again and on finding my tributes are well out of reach, lets out a frustrated roar. Annie shudders, and Ethan glances at her worriedly.

"You sure you're okay?" He asks.

"Yeah, I think so." She says hesitantly. I notice smears of blood on her hands, and lean forward a little, squinting at the screen.

"I think she scraped them on the trunk." Mags says from behind me. When I turn towards her, she smiles knowingly. "Nothing serious, sweetie."

Back in the arena, the mutt is now pacing around the clearing, fury in its horrible yellow eyes. Annie eyes it nervously.

"How long do you think we'll be stuck up here?"

Ethan's lips purse.

"Not long I'd guess, now there's no chance the croc can reach us. The audience will get bored."

Annie looks satisfied and rests her head on his shoulder. He takes her hand, squeezing it gently, and the gesture jars.

My eyes narrow.

"Besides," Ethan adds softly. "The croc's already killed one of us."

Annie nods sadly.

"Poor Preese." She says. "I hope it was quick."

There is a silence, and in that silence, I think of Cashmere and Gloss, the utter numbness of losing a tribute, the feeling of working so hard – hoping so _hard_ – all for nothing. I think of Preese, his parents, his friends, the life he'll never have.

And I think of Annie. Ethan. Her grandmother. His family.

On screen, Ethan lets out a sigh.

"He wasn't a bad kid," He says roughly. "Not a bad kid at all."

* * *

...

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed that.. as much as you can enjoy the first Career death anyhow :( _

_Thanks for reading, and please remember to review x_


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